Spotlight

Club Dhaka first e-club of the city

Expressing life through keyboards, to connect thoughts through cables these have been the motto of this tiny Bangladeshi club on Internet.

Starting its journey back in March 2003 Club Dhaka has become one of the trendiest and "exclusive" kind of club in MSN groups for all Bangalis living all over the world. Whether you want to talk about newest movies, or a song in an album, or the recipe you just discovered or even about life, love and relations, advice you can share it all with its growing members.

Current member count is around 400 and it is believe that there will be more soon, because of the effort the manager and the assistant managers have put behind the community. Being only 21, M Saquib Hussain (known as Highbred_Jammer), founder and Manager of Club Dhaka, has been bringing all sorts of ideas in the club. As he explained "I wanted a community that can speak freely, because that's all Club Dhaka was all about, to express you, to make a difference…" This is not just another club where you come to make a few new friends and then that's it. Club Dhaka wants people to express anything they want and almost all kind of thoughts are posted. The message board is full of many interesting ideas, stories, comments, reviews and much other substance. Best of all, Club Dhaka doesn't ask for any sort of charge when you need to join. The environment of the club is also different than casual style that people experience in MIRC or other local chat rooms.

Here ideas are expressed (commonly by members in the message board) and it is discussed by many people all over the country. The administrator also have done a great job to keep spam away… being a member you are assured that only the 100% spam free contents are sent to your mailbox. Saquib also explained, "It is the goal of our club to ensure every member experiences his or her membership to its fullest potential. We could not and would not do it without them…" Club Dhaka is for people of all age - starting from a regular teenager to a homemaker because they all share everything in common.

For an ultimate chat room experience check out Club Dhaka.
URL: www.clubdhaka.vze.com

By Tamanna Mustafa

DANO Vitakids for kids!

Dano has always been the name of trusted and familiar powder milk brand among the Bangladeshi consumers for over more than 42 years and this time Dano introduces Dano Vitakids for the 1 to 8 year old growing up kids.

It provides 100 percent balanced diet. To ensure proper physical and mental growth of the kids, Dano Vitakids contains an essential combination of Protein, Calcium, Iron, Vitamin-C-D-E-K, Iodine, Manganese, Fiber, Carbohydrate, Zinc, Magnesium and Phosphorus. Dano Vitakids also contains natural fiber that will boost digestion strength of the kids, its Iron and Calcium will help to build kid's teeth and bones ever stronger. Significantly Fatty Acid will work pivotally to develop mental health of the kids. Interestingly, it’s kiddy delicious taste will attract kids to drink it and relieve mothers from tension regarding child's growth and development. So next time if you are looking for a delicious healthy drink for your child, check out Dano Vitakids.

Subha Collection's Colourful Summer Display

The heat's got us all beat, but Subha Collection is all set to fight back, with their cool collection. Located at Nizam-Shankar Plaza, near Shankar Bus Stand the store has arranged a display and special summer sale. Amid this sweltering heat, these dresses are a touch of comfort as these are mainly made out of famous Pakistani Lawn fabrics. And not only that, dresses made of highly reputed Pakistani georgette, chiffon and tarkhushi, are also available. Mainly salwar, kamiz and dupatta's are on sale along with regular sarees in bright colours and lucrative patterns. Subha Collection has also introduced the famous Multani stitch works and hand embroidered dresses, which would be just fabulous on you. The dresses are very catchy and fashionable. It creates an air of smartness, at the same time soothing sensation. No matter which one you wear, it makes you look attractive and smart, whether you are at work or in the cosy corner of your room. It could be mentioned that unstitched dresses are offered, for you to stitch-up as you prefer. The outlet at Nizam-Shankar Plaza has a special offer and a special summer sale and the prices are within any one's reach. All the available items are imported by East-West Fashion.

Diary of a Food Obsessed Person By Sam Q

Name: Sam Q (as you all know by now)
Weight: 105 kg (still not budging)
Age: Hope it does not budge
Marital Status: Still married... even after I called him an old guy in my last article.
Children: The one and only great child going through his 'O' levels.

Another day starts, Well… let's not kid oneself, another grueling day starts for me. With this massive weight resting on my poor knees, the workout sessions are not something I look forward to. Anyway did my forty minute of low intensity cardio whatever with Jane Fonda. While exercising, all I could think of how horsey Jane Fonda was looking and how lucky I was to have a decent face (if I say so myself) and (so what) a blimp for a body.

I have a choice! I can, if I want to have a decent body to match my decent face, whereas, poor Jane is stuck being horsey, or should I say... stud (gender change). She does look kinda manly.

Well anybody can figure out the above statements are all horses s##t. The skinny me is desperately trying to come out of the fat me, so that is why I am resorting to the ultimate... being mean.

I need to lose forty-kg. Hey! Some how I hear laughter. Hold your horses man, I will get there. And when I do, you all will get on the band wagon and go ride off to the sunset and wish you never met me. By the way, why am I so hung up on horses today? You know, horsey... stud... Horse s**t, bandwagon. I must have been watching too many westerns on my DVD player.

Comment of the day: My mum telling me in a very matter of-fact voice, "Beta, you are the fattest in your circle of friends and I am the fattest in my circle of friends. What a friendly observation. "Whoopee!" Rain dance coming up. Thanks Ma. That's what mums are for, to be supportive in every pound of my life.

Healthy recipe for the day:
Barbequed chicken
1 chicken cut into 8 pieces (preferably broiler)
Marinade
2 stalks of lemon grass -- cut finely
1" piece Thai ginger chopped (can be found in Agora) 8-10 large flakes of garlic
4 small onions
½ cup coriander leaves
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp salt

Method
(1) To make the marinade, put all the ingredients in the mixer/grinder and grind to a smooth paste.
(2) Give deep cuts on the washed chicken pieces.
(3) Mix the chicken well with the marinade and let it marinate for 5-6 hours or preferably overnight in the fridge.
(4) Grill chicken till well done. Keep turning the pieces over and brush with the marinade occasionally, or keep on a baking tray and bake at 200C or 400 F for about 30 minutes or till chicken is well cooked.
The above recipe is nice but I sort of add a little twist to make it more palatable for me. As you know, I don't like recipes to be too healthy.
I finely cut around six onions mix them with a bottle of tamarind sauce, which is now available in the market (I got my six bottles from PQS Uttara), dash of lemon juice and a dash of fish sauce and drizzle the mixture over the not chicken. I love it. Try and see which even works for you.
Until next week... stay focused be patient, be positive, we the fat people of this unforgiving world... will get there. And that is a promise.

Tips

Household Tips
Check out the following tips to make your household chores easier and hassle-free.

If your pair of scissors has lost its sharpness then use the blunt scissors to cut fine grade sandpaper, your scissors will be sharpened once again.

If you have hard time finding the end of your tape then next time stick a button on the end of the adhesive tape. Just remove the button and pull whenever you use the tape.

Threads, bobbins and other sewing accessories can be placed together in long pins. Push the pins on a bulletin board near your sewing machine.

Insert a metal spoon into a glass before pouring in any hot liquid - this will prevent the glass from breaking.

You can make a safe hiding place for your money or valuables by painting the inside of a mayonnaise jar white and storing the jar in the refrigerator.
Save your change. Empty your wallet, purse, and pockets on a regular basis and save those one taka coins and 2-taka paper notes in a small box. Occasionally roll the change and take to the bank. It will add up faster than you think.

Freeze candles before using and they will burn longer.
Potatoes can take food stains off your fingers after cooking. Just slice and rub a raw potato on the stain and rinse in cool water.

When you wear a new garment, dab some clear nail polish on the top and bottom of the buttons to seal then to the fabric and prevent then from falling off.

By Wara Karim

---

Hanging Out

On the rooftop

The days are heated and a step out-of-doors brings sweat out of every skin pore, dries up the throat, and overwhelms body with fatigue. It's some refreshing air that we need in this sizzling season. Instead of rushing to an expensive restaurant or to a park for moments of respite, choose your rooftop for a hangout this summer. Ring up your friends or cousins and plan together to invade someone's serene rooftop during one slow evening. Choose a high-rise apartment building because the closer you get to the sky, the cleaner the air would be.

Evenings are relatively less sticky during the summer, so take a big jar of fresh fruit juice or iced tea (avoid carbonated drinks for a change), light snacks and chat away the evening among spicy stories and anecdotes. If you have one of those locally woven lovely and comfortable thin mats at home, lay it on the floor of the roof and lie on it to watch the clear summer sky spangled with stars. The soft breeze and the unbounded universe will help you blow the sorrows of life and give new hopes.

Summer is the ideal season to try out new stuffs, to add new colours to life. Do things that you never tried before. If you never thought that your very rooftop could be a good spot for hanging out with friends, it's time you pay a little attention to its diverse use.

By Wara Karim

---

Outrageous

Two people were killed and British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Anwar Choudhury was among about 70 injured in a powerful bomb blast, second in five months, at Hazrat Shahjalal Shrine in Sylhet Friday.

In a show of cruelty beyond imagination, the Bangla Bhai outfit openly bludgeoned to death outlaws in a village in Naogaon.