In Pursuit of Wisdom

Rasel's company Rectangle Communications organized the Tiger Airlines roadshow today. Rizvi (left most) participated in that roadshow. Picture taken from Daily Star 20th January 2012.

বন্ধুর জন্য বিজ্ঞাপন ( আরিফ এর জন্য ; জন্ম ২৭/০১/১৯৭৬, মৃত্যু ১৯/০৮/১৯৯৯) by Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 9:00am “মনে পড়ে সেই যে রাখাল আর ঘরে ফেরে নাই সেই যে ব্যথিত কবি বলে গেলো আবার আসিব আমি চুলে মেখে কুয়াশার দাগ তারপর কতো ঝরলো শিশির, কতো শিউলির শোক.....” বাইরে টিপ্ টিপ্ বৃষ্টির শব্দ। প্রতি বছর এ সময় বৃষ্টি পড়ে । ভিজে এই শহর, মাদারটেক, তালতলা, টি এস সি, ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় , মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জাদুঘর,মিরপুর। তোর কবর টাও হয়ত ভিজে। আচ্ছা মিরপুর থেকে মাদারটেক কতো দূর? এখন ও তুই কি শুনতে পাস্ বৃষ্টির শব্দ? বৃষ্টিতে কি তোর শীত লাগে ? শীত লাগলে কি কাউকে ডাকতে ইচ্ছা করে ?কিছুদিন পর শিউলি ফুটবে । তুই কি শিউলির গন্ধ পাস্ । আমরা এখন আর শিউলির গন্ধ পাই না । তোর এখন শীত লাগলেও আমাদের করার কিছুই নেই । আমাদের কারোর ই আর কাউকে উষ্ণ করার মত সাহস বা শক্তি নাই । আমাদের রক্ত এখন ব্যাঙ এর মতও নয় , সারা বছর ই ঠাণ্ডা থাকে । ১২ বছর আগে তুই যখন আমাদের মায়া ছেড়ে চলে যাস, তখন আমরা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় গণ্ডি ছাড়ি নাই। এক যুগ পরে আমাদের কারো চুলের রঙ বদলে গেছে, আর কারো চুলের রঙ বদ...

Last weekend I played US National G/60 and G/30 championship at October 1st and 2nd respectively at Santa Clara Hyatt hotel. Bay Area Chess arranged these as usual in different sections. I made 50% scores in both of those at 1800+ (Open) section to my relief. My last month's tournament performance was disappointing (1 win and 3 loss) while this time in G/60 it was 2 loss, 2 win and in G/30 it was 2 loss, 1 draw and 2 win. With this performance now I am a bit relaxed and I think I can still carry on playing competitive tournaments for a few more years even if I don't hit the prize lists. Here is my G/60 result - https://bayareachess.com/events/11/usg60.php And here is my G/30 result - https://bayareachess.com/events/11/usg30.php With this, now I am inspired enough to teach chess to my son and other children from next week.

Last month just before Eid, we went to a quick weekend trip to Lake Tahoe to have some breathe out of my busy office works. And know what, we enjoyed the short trip! We stayed in the beautiful David Walley's Resort few miles from South Lake Tahoe. The second day we spent time in South Lake Tahoe, specially on Gondola Ride. Here is a video and some pictures of that beautiful ride which goes more that 9000 feet above sea level. Just after coming back and just before the Eid day, Ahyan started his first day at public school . Saiful visited us from Atlanta in Eid night and spent a few days playing around Ahyan and Suhaila. I took him for a sight seeing to Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. He bought an XBox Kinect for Ahyan.

Last week I finished Nine Tomorrows by Isaac Asimov which I bought along with a bunch of other books recently from Half Price Books, Fremont. One of the short stories there is The Last Question which Asimov wrote in 1956 and rates it as one of his most favorites. The story is such a master piece by the grand master of science fiction writer that I find my vocabulary falling short to praise it! It shows Asimov's depth and breadth of ideas and his love for twists! I took the whole weekend to get out of the aura of this story and yet haven't succeeded completely (the proof is that I am writing this blog post early in the morning while late for my son's school and my office)! I can't help but share with you the story here in case you wish to read it but forget because everyday life will keep you distracted from reading such a novelty and brilliance! Here is an HTML version of it - http://reviewsonly.blogspot.com/2011/08/last-question-by-isaac-asimov-1956.html Let me k...

Great news! My playing partner and gentle younger brother-like chess friend Abu Sufian Shakil has become International Master. Liza also became Women International Master, second only after WIM Rani Hamid. Moreover, Ziaur Rahman winning the 3.2 Zonal tournament will play the next cycle for World Chess Championship representing this zone. http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=179668 Shamima Akhter Liza became country's second Women International Master (WIM) after Rani Hamid, who won it in 1985, as she earned seven points from nine games in Asian Chess Zone 3.2 Championship in Sri Lanka yesterday. Liza and Ranasinghe of Sri Lanka earned equal seven points but the latter finished top by virue of a tie breaker. Liza had earned her first WIM norm last year during Six Seasons Women's International Rating Chess in Cox's Bazar. Apart from Liza, FIDE master Abu Sufian Shakil also earned his third and final norm of International Master from th...

Last weekend I was quite busy with the 37th People's Chess Tournament in Fremont Marriott. As it was a long weekend, I registered it online through www.bayareachess.com after renewing my US Chess Membership. After a successful World Cup Cricket 2011 opening ceremony in Dhaka where Bryan Adams, Shankar-Ehsan-Loy, Runa Laila, Sabina Yasmin et al perfomred in the midst of mind blowing fireworks, we gathered in Shahriar's house for the India vs Bangladesh opening match of the world cup in 19th February. He arranged lots of people and we had a nice time gossiping together (Ezaz, Amin, Dhanad, Sayeem, Wali Bhai, Sumit Bhai, Mamun Bhai, Dipu Bhai and some others). Although we lost due to a huge score from Sehwag (175) that took India's total to 370/4 in 50 overs, we gave it a fight by scoring 283/9 without being all out. That meant I didn't get much sleep for the next morning's chess game in the tournament at 11:30 AM.  I won the first game nicely, drew a lost game agai...