The New Nation - Internet Edition

Enjoy the holidays

Rubana Ikram

For most of us, the few weeks of annual leaves are the highlight of the year. The quality time way from work will rightly feature highly in your life plan too. If you can't afford a Greek holiday, it doesn't mean that you need to sit at your home feeling gloomy. There are always alternative ways that you can spend your time off from your regular work that can leave you feeling refreshed and energized.

Ever think of enjoying holidays at your home itself. If no, then try out this time! Visit all the places you have never bothered with because it's where you live. Eat out every night and use your home like a hotel. Don't do the household chores, take a rest and open the post.

Look after someone's pets and plants whist they are away. Enjoy being somewhere different. Go out and explore your area.

Why don't you try out house swap? There are specialist agencies that arrange house swaps. You get to stay in another country for free and so does the person you swap with. You don't need a glamorous home in a popular location either. Believe me, home swappers are usually people just like you and me!

Try being a carer. You will find that many residential houses organize trips away for the people who live there. Why not go with them as a helper and see the world afresh through the eyes of someone else. You will feel so much relaxed and contended deep inside your heart.

Holidays can give you the chance to experiment with every aspect of your looks, so take a charge and bring some noticeable changes in your looks. For e.g. if you are a man, you might grow a beard.

Holiday season also means that most families go for vacationing at this time of the year. It is the peak travel season all over the world. You should be prepare for are traffic jams, flight delays, packing problems, lost luggage and other traveling woes.

Diabetics and allergic people should always have a note from the doctor to carry the needles and injections while traveling, so they do not face much problem with the heavy security areas.

With the global economy in crisis and both travelers and airlines feeling the pinch, it may not seem like 2008 will be the cheeriest of holiday travel seasons. Airlines have cut flights, raised fares and added a surge of surcharges for everything from checked bags to phone bookings. Meanwhile, many travelers are postponing or canceling their holiday plans to save money..

Book early.

Haven't booked your holiday travel yet? It's time to stop waiting and start booking. Fares are only rising as Thanksgiving approaches, so those who hold out in hopes of a late-breaking sale are likely to get left out in the cold or pay a very steep price for their procrastination. Book sooner rather than later, particularly if you require very specific travel dates or times. With the current state of the airline industry, it is never too early to book your holiday travel flights.

While many of the best deals are probably already gone, keep an eye on our Holiday Deals section for any last-minute bargains. Be prepared to be flexible with dates and flight times.

Shop around.

During peak travel season, casting the net as wide as possible will help you understand all of your options.

For many travelers, price isn't the only or even the most important factor, especially during the holidays.

Know your airports.

Checking alternate airports is a pretty standard tactic, but at this time of year it can really make a difference. At no time can the alternate airport gambit pay off better than during the holiday crush. You can score on almost every front -- parking, rental cars, traffic to and from, nearby hotels -- and save both time and money.

Also, keep in mind that smaller airports see fewer flights and, typically, fewer delays -- not a small consideration during the busy holiday travel season.

Plot connections carefully.

When booking flights, check your search results carefully for sufficient time during layovers, and build in some time for flight delays and weather woes. Particularly during the winter months, peak travel times often bring peak travel delays, and your connection is more likely to be jeopardized. Avoiding really tight connections may save you a sprint through the terminal at least, and a really nasty stranding at worst. Also, it is best if you can muscle your flight path into position so that connections are in places less likely to experience delays -- specifically, airports in warmer climates. For more advice, see our.

Leave early.

During peak travel times, much of the trouble you'll face lies on this side of the security check-in, from traffic jams and full parking lots to absent shuttles and long lines. Rather than striving to "arrive at the airport early," you may want to try to "leave for the airport early" to anticipate all the peripheral delays you may encounter.

Start Changing Start Changing your relation

Nisha

Are you sick and tired of complaining about your men and relationships. If you're looking for a change - change something. Stop complaining about it all of the time. Do something about it.

Men aren't all bad, and some really try hard to make us happy. What do they get in return? If you want true happiness in a relationship, there are some simple steps.

Figure Out What Makes You Happy: If you don't even know what will make you happy, how can anyone else? A boyfriend will just be banging his head against a wall trying to make you happy. Can anything make you happy? Some people never seem satisfied. This is the worst kind of person to date. Don't make somebody else's life hell simply because you don't know what it is you want. If you can't define your own happiness - don't date until you can.

Stop Expecting the Unexpectable (and getting pissed off when it doesn't happen): Women tend to complain that their men never buy them cards and flowers and candy, etc. That isn't a natural thing for a man to do! Instead they may do something like change the oil in your car, take out the garbage or fix the garage door opener. To them, that can be equivalent in meaning and intention as a dozen roses. It's their way of saying they love you and that they care about you and are thinking about you. Next time they do something like this for you - thank them with a huge kiss. And mean it!

Stop Dating Men You Know Are Wrong For You: Stop anticipating changing your men. You don't want to change, why should they? If you know you don't want the man you're dating to go out with his friends or sit around on Sundays watching football - don't date men that already do these kinds of things. God forbid they may continue with their behavior. You should assume that the man you meet will be the man you date. They aren't going to change their lifestyle simply because you wish them to. If you want a man to be at your side every evening - date a man that wants to be at your side. If you want a man that doesn't drink - don't date a man that drinks. It's pretty simple. Get off your goddamn high horse expecting to change everyone.

Learn To Speak Up, Have An Opinion: Don't be a wimp all of the time. Offer suggestions of things you'd like to do. Don't sit and pout all evening because your boyfriend ordered pizza in when you would have rather have gone out for Chinese. If you don't say anything- how can he know? Men can't read our minds. Speak up. The worst thing you can do is get pissed because something you have planned secretly in your head doesn't go according to plan. You need to let men know what you're thinking. It's the only way they have a chance at doing the right thing.

Cut The Apron Strings: Mother's are great. If you have a good close relationship with your mother, good for you. But don't let her interfere with your love life. Mother's aren't supposed to like all of our boyfriends. In fact I think it may be their job to destroy any relationship we have. Especially mothers that are divorced or in rotten marriages. Mothers that are jaded against men. You could be dating Prince Charming and your mother will do her damnedest to convince you he's a pig. She can twist every word and action into a diabolical plot that he has to harm you. God forbid you should actually give your mother ammunition against your man. If he does something small to upset you and you confide in your mother, she will never let you forget it. Be careful of what you say. It will come back to haunt you. Usually in front of the man you love.

Men Can Have Women Friends: Stop assuming that every woman your man talks to is an affair waiting to happen. Just as women can have male friends, men can have women friends. Stop being suspicious all of the time. If you don't trust your boyfriend, why are you dating? On the same note, people can be late. Late for appointments, late for dates, late home from work. Many times there isn't a good reason. Have you always been punctual? Stop jumping to conclusions every single time. If you have proof that you have something to worry about - get out of the relationship. Don't make both of your lives miserable. Otherwise, loosen up.

Don't Push The Marriage Issue: If the two of you are meant to get married, you will. It should be a mutual feeling. Don't force your boyfriend into a marriage through guilt or constant nagging. The marriage won't last. If you are truly in a place in your life where you want to be married and your boyfriend doesn't want to be - you have to make a decision. Wait patiently or find someone else. It's pretty simple. All of these women forcing marriage on their boyfriends are pathetic. Why marry someone that doesn't want to be married to you wholeheartedly? Think about it.

When It's Over, It's Over. Show some pride. If he breaks it off with you, it will hurt. But you really need to get over it. Following him around town and phoning twenty-seven times a day just makes you look like a loser. No wonder he broke it off. On the flip side - if you broke it off with him - don't expect him to be your friend. Don't be mad if he doesn't want to be friends or do lunch or talk about your new love. He wants to move on. Let him.

We as women have complete control over our own happiness. I'm not sure why so many women settle for complaining about their lives versus changing them. In order to find a good boyfriend, you must be a good girlfriend. Take stock of your life and yourself. If past relationships have repeatedly gone bad - ask yourself why. Have all of your past loves complained about you being too clingy? Were you? Honestly? Do you find yourself rushing into relationships simply so you're in a relationship? Have you spent time enjoying your solitude? Have you discovered who you are as a person? Do you know what it is you want in a man? Until you know these things, chances of having a good relationship are slim to none. Many men want a relationship to last as much as you do. By taking some steps and being realistic you'll find this a much simpler task.

Marriage is a commitment of caring, time, and attention. However, when real life settles in, the details of keeping a marriage alive and healthy sometimes go by the wayside. When that happens the vitality in a marriage can dim. Making a commitment to a weekly date with your spouse can help to keep the romance. A commitment to go out every Friday night gives you something to look forward to together. It also says that you are making your relationship a priority. The first step is simply to start dating. Anything will do for a date, but begin making the commitment to a weekly date and making it a habit. Go to the movies, or out to dinner even if all you can afford is the the local fast-food restaurant.

Enlist Your Family

Discuss with your children why having a weekly date is important to being a better mom and dad. If you haven't practised a weekly date, children may be a little fussy on the idea. Discuss why it's important for the two of you to have time alone and how it will benefit them. Once children understand, they will usually encourage you to go out and balk if you don't.

Plan At Least Two Dates A Month Alone

Its fun to go out with other couples, but it doesn't allow you to connect with your spouse. Conversely it's also good to socialize with other couples. Friendship help us to appreciate our own marriages. A little of both scenarios is best.

If Money Is Tight, Don't Make Your Dating About Money

This is about spending time together, not going to the ritziest restaurant in town. Find inexpensive ways to spend time together. Take a drive, get an ice-cream cone, or plan a picnic. Find out what the local community has available for entertainment.

They often have inexpensive concerts, old movies, art showings, etc. There are tonnes of ways to have fun without spending a fortune. Don't let money be an excuse for not dating. Your relationship deserves time together.

Reconnect With Each Other

Don't just go through the motions. Dating your spouse is a time to reconnect and talk. It's natural to spend some time venting about work but don't make your whole date about your job. It's hard to connect and feel close if all you do is talk about your work projects.

Even if everything is going great at work, don't monopolize the talk time with it. Allow the conversation to be a give and take situation. Talk a little, listen a little, share your talking time and use this time to become part of your spouse's life again.

Smooch and Hold Hands

Enjoy your time together. Kiss and hold hands. Park in a romantic spot and make out like teenagers. Put a little sizzle back in the union. Have fun with it and you'll find yourself connecting just like brand new lovers.

These are the little things that tend to go away first as soon as children come and the reality of a busy life sets in. Just holding hands is such an intimate connection. And when is the last time you just kissed?

Enjoy Spontaneous Dating Too

Although you should have a scheduled date every week, don't let spontaneous moments pass you by either. Take a Sunday drive together. Some couples drive through neighborhoods to find great landscaping ideas, or new flowers ideas for the yard.

Don't have your dream house yet? Take a drive and dream over the options together. Taking a drive together can turn into a really fun and enjoyable time together time to connect. It's relatively free if you don't count the cost of petrol. If petrol costs are causing stress, consider a walk. It's healthy and encourages time to share and talk."

Go Away At Least Once A Year

Every couple needs a special vacation at least once a year to put the spark back into their marriage. It doesn't have to be s long vacation, a weekend will do. It also doesn't have to be somewhere expensive or exotic. Find a great hotel room with a jacuzzi.The important is to find a few days every year to do something special.

Whether it's a hotel, a bed and breakfast, or a camping trip, the idea is to spend time together in a way that will be special for both of you. That means you can't take your wife fishing if she hates the outdoors and you can't take your husband to a weekend of art galleries if looking at paintings makes him fall asleep. This is the time to find something you both enjoy.

Take a Class Together

Perhaps you could try a dance class. There is something very romantic about learning to waltz or salsa together. An hour of learning to stay in step can add some sizzle to your union.

Learn something new together to really strengthen the bond in a relationship. Dancing is just one option.

Perhaps learning to throw a clay pot seems like more fun. Or try a painting class. It really depends on your mutual interest.

Feature: Is there a real problem of food security?

Zohrul Karim

The long run economic potential of BD cannot be realized unless the people feel confident about the first item on most people's budget---food. With a population of about 150 million and a projected population of about 220 millions by 2060, there is good reason to be concerned. (Actually, if the popular Western media is any indication, the West is even more worried about the future of BD---not in any constructive sense, but they worry). However, most people also do not seem to realize the incredible strides that BD has already made in expanding its food supply and how much more can be achieved with systematic effort. This article seeks to lay out briefly the reasons for cautious optimism. It begins by dealing with the production potential of local growth. If this is seen to be adequate, and we will argue that it is, then the rest is up to us to achieve. For the sake of easy readability we will refer to rice as the only 'food' in question---a simplification that does not affect the essence of the question. Next we discuss the high price of rice that alarmed everyone this Spring and argue that this was a short run problem caused by reliance upon imports from India and a sudden change of Indian policy. Finally we have a few words on food security vs rice security.

We have deliberately chosen large and simple numbers and calculations because in questions of this kind one wants to convince ones readers by making them think things through. So our numbers will be adequate if they indicate orders of magnitude and our reasoning will suffice if the reader can confirm all steps. While the article will talk directly only about food, it is taken for granted that other complementary measures that accompany economic growth, such as infrastructure and education etc are all taking place concurrently.

BD has gone from 9 million tons to over 27 million tons and is now practically self-sufficient. It could have tried for full sufficiency but the advising powers felt that it was better to rely on Indian rice for the balance of our needs---on this more later. If the population increases to 220 millions, what has to be the rice production to reassure ourselves. As growing populations have a pyramidical age structure since there are always many more children than youth and more youth than adults, we can think of the additional 70 million as consisting of 15 million adults, 20 million youth and 35 million children. If youth consume 2/3 rds of an adult and children consume 1/3rd of an adult, we have to prepare for 40 million more adults by 2060. If we take this to be 25% of the current output, the goal is to produce 35 million tons in about 5 years. How is this to be done?

1. First, the Yield gap between demonstration farms and farmers is 30%. This is primarily due to input supply irregularity and limited agro extension. It can be made up simply by exercising more care and extension. BD moves to 30 million tons by 2011.

2. Remove GoB management and go to free market for inputs . The appropriate use of inputs contributes about 75% of the yield of HYV varieties. This will ensure the gains of step 1

3. Expand the HYV varieties with local potential - encourage the second generation of HYV varieties developed by BRRI (such as BR-28, BR-43)

4. As about 1/3rd of BD area is by the coast, new coastal varieties from BRRI need rapid expansion in areas such as Shoron Khola. Training, demonstration and local seed production are sufficient for this.

5. Agriculture Credit is not being adequately financed. The procedures are complex and discouraging. No private institutions exist for this purpose, which is strange in view of the prevalence of microfinance and support for SME's. By focusing upon the very poor, MFI's have hitherto been missing the small farmer--- who can be especially productive, but who is excluded from the usual MFI by having some assets.

6. Hybrid technology needs package support; for reasons that are unclear, the Government is reluctant to introduce such comprehensive packages. They will provide 20% more output than HYV- and the only new input needed is education and the building of domestic capacity. In the short run import quality has to be assured, since the current imports of poor quality seed are biasing the market against innovation.

Items 3,4 and 5 will each contribute about 15-20% more output. Aggregating the totals, BD has met its goal. What is lacking? Only the vision of what can be done and the will to execute it! What is most pleasing about this prospect is the realization that the primary 'new' input is agricultural extension---a domestic resource that BD has plenty of.

Let us turn to the background of the crisis of January-March of 2008. From 1998 onwards BD practically self- sufficient in foodgrain. In 1999 BD attained self- sufficiency in circumstances which need elucidation.The

prices of inputs and outputs were similar across neighbors---so smuggling was no attraction. Input management was effective in the forecast of requirements, government monitoring of the private sector was strong and timely. Private import of inputs was liberalized and privately done, but directed by GoB as needed. Free but regulated markets worked. Recently,

TSP and MOP prices have rocketed from 13 to 90. GoB needs to mediate such price shocks in the short run. In the medium term, such increases, if they meet world prices, are to be permitted to work their way through the market system.

If we total the subsidies for fertilizers and for grains over the last two years this comes to about 2-3% of GDP. If the GoB only accepts the responsibility of mediating price shocks and not bearing the burden of removing them, the people will be more used to the risks of a market economy. It is very important to note that the major fear, the unavailability of food in the aggregate, has been removed in the paras above. When price shocks come, this is now a transfer between the rural and urban populations. Since at least 60% of BD live dependent on then land, why is it bad that their incomes increase?

Even as it attainined self-sufficiency, BD was gradually pushed into a form of marginal dependency. International organizations pressured BD into accepting the presumed comparative advantage of India and importinga small part of yearly supply. Suddenly, India decided it no longer wanted to be part of this system and raised its export price to a prohibitive level. Till this point BD prices followed world prices, which makes economic sense if BD wants to participate in world trade. With India's sudden decision, market integration was disrupted and buyers started acting out of fear.

If the people were given accurate and credible figures, very little 'PANIC' may have happened. But in the confusion, ordinary people hoarded,say,an extra months supply. Aggregated over millions of households, this created a burden too great for the market to bear without high prices and BDR markets. If 20 million families keep an extra 100 lbs each, or 1/20 ton, then the total withheld comes to 1,000,000 tons---enough to make it look like a real scarcity. The GoB simply kept reiterating that there was no need to woryy; what it should have done is to provide a synopsis of BD food policy, an analysis of price movements and a clear accounting of the reasons why supply was sufficient. In the absence of such publicly verifiable evidence, many households engaged in 'precautionary' behavior. The problem with households acting as holders of buffer stocks is that households act not so much out of greed as out of fear. While a profit maximizing arothdar can be persuaded easily to dispose stocks when faced with accurate figures of supply, a household will continue to hoard out of fear. The amounts that can be held in homes far exceeds what can be stored by arothdars. It was a needless 'crisis', and one that can be avoided.

The policies and programs suggested above are not to be seen in isolation. Of course all the other measures considered part of good economic policy will continue in parallel. For example, measures to stop the current loss of agricultural land---considered to be almost 2% per year---will be taken, as will continuing population programs. But it is important to emphasise just how much these measures add to the effectiveness of the production possibilities stated above. Let us suppose that economic growth continues as does population growth. It is well known that richer populations diversify their foods and lessen their consumption of cereals. The most dramatic case is probably that of Japan, whose rice consumption per capita has fallen from 140 kg to 70 kg since World War II. If this is any indicator for the future of BD, then rather than being food deficit, there is good reason to think of BD becoming a food exporter.

The writer is ex-Secretary, GoB and Director General, BARC

Salim Rashid, University of Illinois and the Institute of Microfinance

Pet care: What you should never feed your dog

Unfortunately, there are a number of household items, which we tend to take for granted that are potentially very dangerous to your dog's health. It is especially important to be aware of this because as you know, dogs are essentially scavengers and will often eat just about anything they can sink their fangs into. It is also very important to be aware of these items since their sense of smell is so well developed that your pooch will be able to find what you may think is well hidden.

One of these dangerous household items, it turns out, is simple chocolate. While chocolate has been reported recently to be high in human-friendly antioxidants, it appears to be potentially lethal for our pets, and particularly for our dogs. Cats are mostly unaffected since they do not care for the taste of chocolate, but dogs tend to be crazy about it. Certain breeds of dogs react indifferently to chocolate. The root of the problem is that chocolate contains various chemicals which are called methylxanthine alkaloids(sometypes have more of these chemicals than others) Sadly, relatively miniscule amounts of these chemicals are capable of causing such serious problems as constriction of the arteries and an increased heart rate. Large amounts may cause even more dire symptoms and a pound of milk chocolate could possibly kill a sixteen pound dog. If you find that your dog has eaten chocolate then by all means take note of the it's type and try to estimate the amount eaten. Then get on the phone with a veternarian or an emergency facility. Be sure that your children know how important it is to keep chocolate out of your dog's reach. If you are not aware that your dog has consumed chocolate, the consequences could be severe. If consumption is not found within 4 to 6 hours without the right treatment, cardiac failure, seizures, coma and death could result, according to veternarian Dr. Jane Bicks.

In addition to seemingly innocent chocolate, there are a number of other common household items that may seem safe for our dogs but that can be downright dangerous.

Some mushrooms, for example, can produce abdominal pain, liver and kidney damage and amenia. So be aware of wild mushrooms when you are out walking your dog in wooded areas. Garlic may seem benign but can cause vomiting, liver damage, anemia and diarrhea so do not give your pet baby food since it can contain garlic. Anti-freeze can shut down your dog's kidney and they tend to love the taste. Miscletoe can cause vomiting, abdominal pain and depression. Onions can causeliver damage, anemia and diarrhea. Onion can also sometimes be found in baby food. Cats are actually somewhat more sensitive to this one so keep out of the reach of both. Coffee, like cocoa, is especially dangerous, and may cause heart rate increase, diarrhea, seizures, coma, death. Caffeine just does not have the same effect in dogs. When outside be careful around apple and cherry trees. While the fruit is safe, the leaves and roots are not. And be very careful about Moth Balls. it's primary chemical naphthalene is extremely toxic to dogs and can result in tremors and seizures.

Concerning dog food, you should be looking for dyes and other chemicals, according to Dr. Jane BHA, for instance, which is one of the main synthetic antioxidant preservatives used to prevent food discoloration, has been observed to cause cancer in laboratory rats at certain doses. Small doses are as yet unclear but since dog food is eaten every day caution is advised. Many conventional dog food brands have large quantities of sodium to make them palatable, and this can be quite harmful to a dog. Other ingredients to wary of are dairy, by-products, chemical preservatives and artificial colors.

Interior: Fun room themes for girls

Sugar and Spice

Every little girl loves pretty colors! For a room she'll cherish, select fabrics with flowers, trellises, cute animals, or butterflies. You might stencil flowers, vines, and butterflies on walls as a colorful accent, using paint colors matched to your fabric or wallpaper choices. Don't forget soft, airy curtains for the windows.

Ocean

If you live near the beach, or just wish you did, create an ocean theme using watery blues for the wall, sand colors on the floor, and clouds in the ceiling. Take color cues from a beachy border wallpaper, art print, or piece of furniture like this colorful stool. You will almost be able to hear the waves!

Stars

Starlight is a great theme, and you'll find many fabrics, wallpapers, and bedding with star patterns. This theme appeals to both boys and girls, and is available in many colors both bright and pastel. Wonderful theme pieces can be the "star" in a room. You might get star-shaped rubber stamps (or sponges) and dip into wall paint to create your own star border, decorate furniture, or make random stars all over the walls or ceiling. A star quilt or rug will complete the theme.

Moonlight

Create a wonderful, soft look with by the light of the moon. The ceiling might be midnight blue, with painted moon and stars, or use some of the stick-on glow-in-the-dark stars. Embellish a colorful painted bookshelf with crisp white stars, or liven up a plain white chest with a rainbow of star shapes. Find a moon and star quilt or fabric to use for window treatments. Then add a moon cutout headboard.

Angels, Fairies, and Elves

This universal theme will be adored by girls of any age. Angel themes could use faux painted skies and clouds, fluffy canopy beds, and soft icy pinks, blues, and lavendars. Fairy shapes are appealing with transparent wings, sparkling wands, and silvery magic dust. Try to incorporate some sparkles with glittering accents, silver paint, and magical designs.

Flower Power

Bright and bold oranges, sun yellows, lime greens, and watermelon pinks are the basis of this retro-60's look. Find colorful borders and fabrics featuring stylized simple flower shapes in hot colors, and match these with some plain fabrics for ruffles, valances, and window seat pillows. These flower shapes would be easy to enlarge on a copy machine and trace onto the walls in random patterns, then paint with wild colors matched to the fabrics.

Sunshine

Paint a mural of hills, with the sunrise peeking over the top. Use sunny yellow checked bedding and quilts, green rugs for grass, and paint the ceiling a soft sky blue. Waking up will be easy and fun using this summery look which is sure to please many a young child.

Cottage Style

This is a great theme if your child will be using hand-me-down furniture for her room. Think lots of white and paint all the furniture for creating a cottage style room. Then use either light colors (pink, sky blue, pale green) or set the white off against bright clear colors like grass green or marine blue. You can also use fabric patterns such as tea-stained cotton florals, or use brighter florals, ginghams, or stripes. Find more tips on cottage style.

Color Themes

This theme is easy. Just pick the color that your little one loves and go with it--everywhere. Paint the walls in her favorite color, then go for it in borders, fabrics, pillows, and accessories. Whether it is pink, purple, blue, or primary crayon colors -- your little one is sure to feel right at home in a colorful room done just for her.

Butterflies, Bees, and Dragonflies

Anyone who has purchased gifts for girls in the last few years knows that butterflies are big! If your little one loves this look, there are many ways to incorporate it into a room. A mural of garden and butterflies is a natural, or go with a butterfly fabric for the comforter. Small painted designs can be added to chair backs, picture frames, headboards, and flit around a colorful chest of drawers as well. Use butterfly hair clips to perch on a lampshade, bulletin board, or along one edge of a curtain.

Princesses and Castles

Your Princess can have a room befitting her high status if you use sheer fabrics and fanciful details. Embellish the walls with faux painted castle walls, murals, and blue skies for a truly memorable girl's room. Contrast the weighty look of faux stone walls with trails of stenciled ivy or flowers and swaths of pretty netting used as a bed canopy.

Sports

Young girls who avidly participate in any sport -- whether it's riding, skating, softball, swimming, or soccer -- can readily identify with this decorating theme. Wallies or a wallpaper border is a perfect place to start for a color scheme and in a search for coordinating curtains and bedding. Look for innovative touches to support the theme and be sure to include display shelves to house awards, game photos, and medals.

Storybook Characters

Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit, the Little Mermaid, or Barbie might be the starting point for a wonderful theme room. Search the net for specialty character sheets and bedding, then take your color cues from there. Frame book illustrations as wall art or use cutouts of book pages for decoupage on furniture.

Shabby Elegant

Tea-stained florals, comfortable slipcovered chairs, vintage accessories, and painted white furniture is the look that's all the rage.

By now your decorating enthusiasm should up and running! You'll find more great ideas everywhere you look. Remember to include your child in this process of choosing a theme. Children have wonderful, innovative ideas, and seeing their wishes take shape in a wonderful room, created just for them, will give them confidence and a memory they will never forget.

Whatever is the color, design, pattern or theme you choose, make it in accordance with the likes of your girl child or a young grown up girl. After all, one's room should ideally reflect and complement one's personality.

Travel: Land of tea: Srimongol

One of the lands of dreams in Bangladesh is Srimongol, Moulavibazar. The place is situated on the North-East side of Bangladesh in the Sylhet district. Srimongol is famous for its tea gardens, for which many tourists visit Bangladesh.

Srimongol is beautifully adorned with green tea-leaves on small hill-like structures known as 'Tila' in Bengali. The tea-leaves give a fresh feeling when we look at them and it is truly amazing to think how the people of Srimongol maintain an average size of all the tea-trees. The hills surround the roads which make traveling more heavenly. The tea-leaves are maintained by another powerful natural source, the rain. Incessant rainfall contributes the tea-gardens to withstand its ultimate beauty. The hills are naturally designed in such a way that when rain falls on the leaves. It does not stay long; the rain drains down underground because water staying long time on the leaves may harm them. 'Finlay' and 'Duncan' are two large tea projects of tea-cultivation in Sri mongol. As we go deep into the tea gardens, we can perceive lots of random muddy tracks, just like a huge maze where anyone can get lost.

It is amazing how the leaves turn into small bits which we have as tea. The leaves are first discharged into huge box-like structures where the leaves go through a process of five stages. During these five stages, the leaves are manufactured and crumbled. The fragments of the tea leaves are then blended in drum rolls. A huge drum is used which rotates at 360 degrees all the time to make the fragments more spherical. The spherical blended fragments are left to dry, where they change into their own natural color. Then there are more manufacturing machines designed for further flavor in the tea. One of the machines named 'Hybro-screen' has the ability to distinguish and produce seven to eight types of tea. Then the tea is packed and is ready to set off to its destiny.

Not only tea gardens in Srimongol make it famous; Srimongol also consist of the 'Sylhet Gas Field' where huge amount of gas is collected from beneath the earth and supplied widely. The night scenery of the gas field makes it more beautiful because of its outstanding lighting and construction. The area contains huge box-like chambers and mill-like structures which pump out fire into the open sky. The spectacular view may not last long because the tragedy elaborates that the gas can only be supplied for nine more years.

'Lawachara', an hour away from the 'Tea Resort' of 'Bangladesh Tea Board', is a national park built by the British, the time of their rule in this country. Now, it is a tourist spot where vast number of soaring trees surrounds the forest. The park occupies an area of 1250ha, and is named after a small narrow tributary, named 'Lawachara'. Its previous name was 'West Bhanugan'. Birds of different species are rarely found here and anyone can always trek along the adventurous mud stairs, carved into the hills, while listening to the continuous chirping of birds. It is also said that in the early mornings, one can be lucky enough to hear and even see a very rare species of monkey known as 'Ullook' in Bengali. A group of these monkeys lives in this forest together having their favourite fruit, 'Chamkathal' or 'Chapalish' in Bengali. Large spiders throw open thin, huge web and amazingly stay on it. The web is wide, clear and visible as it is attached to the neighboring trees. The spider beautifully adorns its web and replete the natural view with its shiny black or scarlet color. It is also known that in the deep, dark places of Lawachara, animals like leopard, wilebore and even King Cobra settle their presence.

The inhabitants of this area, widely known as 'Khashia', obtain their source of income by selling 'Panpata', a kind of leaf mostly eaten in South-East Asia. They use natural sources for healing their injuries; like they use a tree bark from the tree named 'Arjun' as a gastric medicine. Different types of trees make the natural view of 'Lawachara' more exciting and interesting. Some of the trees found here are of rare species like the 'Chlorophora Xsilsa' or 'African Ticock'. This tree is believed to get a person unconscious if they are around it for too long, but the chemical which made this possible is worn out. Another tree, the 'Iron Tree' is a very hard one and is often used in rail tracks. This species was brought to Bangladesh from Myanmar in 1947. 'Lawachara' consists of a huge bamboo forest. Among the bamboos, 'Jai Bash' is a bamboo which is very thick and very rare. These bamboos are not used in any purpose; it is kept in 'Lawachara' to its own natural process and beauty to preserve wildlife. 'Agor' tree is another excellent legend in 'Lawachara'. Perfume is collected from this tree; the perfume is strong but the process of collection is very hard because only one out of a hundred 'Agor' trees is likely to have fragrance. Other trees like Raktan, Erythrina Indica, Shegun, Orchid, Fishtail Palm, Dhootora, etc. are found in plenty in 'Lawachara'. All these trees combining with adorable flowers bring forth to the viewers a very good impression of true nature.

Another two and a half hour ride from the 'Tea Resort' is 'Madhavkunda' waterfall. Tiny brooks cut the hilly tracks and pass by leaving a snake's trail. After reaching the steep slope, it is a dazzling view. A huge waterfall of about fifty feet in length falls through the cracks of a soaring hill; plants and trees cover the steep slope. It seems like a valley surrounded with trees.

It can be taken for granted that there is no lack of beauty in the natural city, 'Srimongol'. People can really come out of their daily busy and noisy life and enjoy the outstanding, spell-bounding and spectacular nature of Srimongol. Once someone enters Sri mongol they become a part of its amazing paradise.

-Shadman Rabbi

Class- Nine, Siddiqui’s International School

Feature: A mosque of history!

Belabo Bazar Central Juma Mosque Situated at Belabo Bazar, 12 km South-East from Narsingdi district town.

Establishment of this mosque is quite miraculous. It is learnt from the local people that at about 275 years ago the inhabitants of the area heard that somebody was reciting the verses of the Holy Quaran from inside a pillar situated in the East side of the Bazar, in such a melodious voice which cannot be described in any manner. This was happening in almost in everyday but nobody could see who recites the verses. This message was spread in the nearby village and the people of the villages started coming to hear the miraculous recitation. Some people also started praying beside the said pillar out of emotion. Considering the difficulties of the visitors, one Mohammad Ali Bepari constructed a small tin-shed mosque beside the said pillar where only 1012 pious people could say their prayer at a time. But at one stage people having emotion and religious feeling started coming in a large number from the near and far areas to pray for remission of their difficulties with the belief that if they pray in to the mosque they will get relief. Thus the mosque becomes renowned as "Fajilater Mosjid", the mosque of remission.

At the end of the reign of the Mughal Emperor a pucca building was constructed in place of the said tin-shed mosque. But in the late twenties the condition of the mosque became worst. The mosque also becomes dangerous for the pious people to pray there. Then some small traders of the Bazar under the leadership of one Swapon came forward and prepared a temporary shed out side the original mosque using bamboo mats and shacks where 500 to 700 pious people could say their prayer. But that arrangement was not sufficient because the inhabitants of the nearby villages believe that if they pray in to the "Fajilater Mosjid" their wishes will become true thus a large number of pious people come to the mosque everyday. In Friday some 7000 to 8000 people gathered there and they faced a tremendous trouble during rainy season. Considering the trouble of the pious people, the local dignitaries become anxious and thereby they requested the members of the par1iament of both BNP and Awami League for solving the problem. At one stage it was declared that the mosque will be re-constructed with the aid of Saudi Government. Some officials of Saudi and Bangladesh Government also visited the mosque but in vein. The local people became hopeless when the project did not come in to light. At this stage the dignitaries of the locality approached to the Managing Director of Tharmex Group Mr. Abdul Kadir Mollah and requested him to visit the mosque and to say his prayer in any of the Fridays. One Friday in the year 2006, Abdul Kadir Mollah went there to say his prayer and found that some 20000 pious people have gathered there to say their Friday prayer. Then Abdul Kadir Mollah promised that he will construct a mosque with a capacity of praying 10000 people. Thereafter he searched for an eye-catching design of a mosque in the internet and upon selection of a lucrative design he rapidly completed the construction by engaging a local contractor and handed over the key of the mosque to the Masjid Committee on November 8, 2008.

According to the renowned Architects, this mosque is the best mosque of the country as has been constructed following the modern architectural view and using most valuable marble stones and tiles. Total cost incurred in construction of this mosque is about 3(three) crore 21 (twenty one) lacs taka where 12000 pious people can say their prayer at a time.

Abdul Kadir Mollah also established an Eatim Khana beside the mosque where 240 distress students are learning Quaran at the cost of Mollah. Not only that the said Mollah has established a total 8 Eatim Khana at the cost of his 8 industrial units. He also established some more 20 mosques in different areas of the district. Abdul Kadir Mollah is a non-politician pious man and he has established all these religious institutions with the view to make happy the almighty Allah.