Rock on!

NO guys!! am not appointed to promote Farhan Akhtar's new movie.
Well anyways...I just saw it yesterday night (first preview show!.. How could I miss bollywoods first ever Rock-based movie). And drew parallels to his first movie 'Dil Chahta Hain' which was a story of friends. DCH was one movie I have watched over and over again. after Sholay and alongside Munna bhai series and as then suggested by my friend that DCH was a movie to be watched by friends:) This time I suggest this one is too. You may or may not agree (eventually), but after knowing few rock-inclined friends, and after being with the making and breaking of my college rock band (as a non-musician). After knowing few ultra-talented musicians (rock and other genres) who still are trying to make it big (in the worldly sense). I think this is a great movie to go watch(barring some disagreements which can easily be skipped n the larger picture). See it if you have the time and inclination :). Even if you leave aside the Rock factor, it's still a good movie.

And yes! Interestingly Farhan seems to have won a 'race' for the title, I learnt from the web that there was another English movie scheduled for 2009 with the same title. I guess it will now be called 'Bandslam'

2008 Farhan Akhtar's 'Rock on'

2009 - 'Rock on' (now Bandslam)

LINKS:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_On!!_(2008_film)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_On_(film)

Yamaha R1 Test Ride - One Helluva ride

Freedom Flower!

You could call it a strange but pleasant co-incidence. I found this flower among the roadside trees today (14August2007) a day before we celebrate 60 years of independence on 15th August 2007. It has just the colors of out Tricolour Flag. I found it very unique and more because It was found in the most unlikely environments, among dust, cut branches of trees (that the electricity dept. does) and next to an open drain.

What could it signify...? I leave that to one’s imagination. To me it poetically indicates a new beginning, a very optimistic one. So what if we are surrounded with all the usual ‘garbage’ of ups and downs, calamities, bad politics, crime and corruption. There will always be a positive side to look at.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Suzuki GSX 1300R Hayabusa 2008

Check these pictures of the new Suzuki Hayabusa 2008 model. Makes me feel good about a bike that was so desirable, but I would think twice about buying one, just for the not so delighful looks of the previous model. (ok! lets assume I did manage to save up the dough... now do away with that teasing smile). I agree it still is chunky, but improvised drastically in the cosmetics department. The chunky part I guess is required for holding that monster down and making it cut through the wind with ease. You can see how thats intended to happen in one of the pictures.

For some to relate better, this is the new version of the legendary hayabusa - the bike that was made more popular out here bt the movie DHOOM (though a small section called the biking population already knew about it). One of the fastest production bikes, only to be challenged by the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14. I guess with this new one here, someone must be getting ideas for DHOOM 3

Nothing else to say, just enjoy the visual treat.




Picture courtesy: www.bikewalls.com

TVS Apache RTR 160 - the hot new bike in town

The new n hot TVS Apache RTR 160 is here finally. Check the video, but before that let me pour out my excitement in words

The bikes already been displayed at few showrooms. It comes after a long wait. Delayed by couple months I guess. Been reading about it. Hope I soon get my hands on it for a test ride.

If this ones in (well it is almost), it clearly displaces the current 150cc category leader the CBZ Xtreme. Yes, it kind-of looks more like the existing simpleton Apache150cc but I wouldn’t be misled, the performance specs, looks and goodies indicate a wild animal approaching

The real story however is when we get the first hand reviews. Hope the bikes lives up to the silent hype. So far it’s been all praises from magazine scribes, the bike groups watching it and the ads of course

160cc, 15.2bhp, 0-60kms in 4.8 seconds, 120kmph top sped (company specs).

The new, well styled digital speedo console beats the one Karizma and Pulsars have.

The split handle bars, with 2 adjustable positions, look awesome.

Rear LED lights and split grab rail… Look mean!

The footpegs and brake+clutch levers look great.

A cool dash of body work at the bottom, the tiny bottom faring.

New Petal discs for the front disc brakes… as big as the ones on Karizma, but crafted differently like petals (than a circular disc). Helps in cooling the disc better.

Check the median strip painted along the center of the bike. You would have seen it on those drag-race cars. It looks cool here too.

And hey the RTR in the name stands for Racing Throttle Response. I hope the growl we hear in the video is real too :) not just a extra bass

What more a very cool ad-video with loads of attitude, am sure the bike too will match up. The price claimed to be around 66K is a decent deal compared to what it offers. Mileage... I don't think its built to give great mileage but 40kmpl should work, no indications as of now.

One small concern… wish it was a 250cc level. 150s are getting way to common here.
Waiting on the Hondas, Karizmas, Pulsars to ‘grow’. Ok am talking so much in the Indian context. No super-bikes discussed here, not as yet

Let’s wait till I return to Bangalore and get some pics myself. Till then Google around and see this video below. I could have cross posted the ones I have seen, but did not want to, plus I am in a hurry, going out of town tomorrow.


THE VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBq7AfP8iHk

Yahoo! Photos is closing!

Yahoo! Photos is closing on September 20, 2007.

Fear not! you can still transfer all photos from those accounts to a different service (from the options given by Yahoo).

However, I thought since Flickr was now a Yahoo company this should have happend automatically. I am not sure I saw Yahoo photos in the form that used to be before. I've been on Flickr whenever I logged into Yahoo. So not quite sure how that works and why do they still want us to validate a migration... anyways, there are few other options than Flickr. The message goes-

" Move your photos to Flickr, Yahoo!'s award-winning photo sharing site that Time Magazine calls "completely addictive." And since Flickr is a Yahoo! company, moving is easy - just sign in with the same Yahoo! ID and password you use on Yahoo! Photos.Or if Flickr's not for you, you can also move your photos to services such as Kodak Gallery, Shutterfly, Snapfish or Photobucket. Select from the options below!

Dear (User),
Thank you so much for using Yahoo! Photos. Before we go, we can help you move your photos to a new home.
You must decide what to do by September 20, 2007, because any photos still here after that date will be deleted. Learn more.
Please choose from one of three options below: "

The options are-
1) Migrate to Flickr , Kodak Gallery , Photobucket , Shutterfly , Snapfish with help from Yahoo.[alrite! Thank you so much for this Yahoo]
2) Download all your pics by Sep2007 [Good Luck on that!]
3) Order DVDs of the back-ups [Gee, now we talk business :)]

Anyways... thanks I have some on Google's Picassa. Won't have to move them. And Photobucket too was a favorite :).

Log-in to you Yahoo photos accounts today! and get updated. You will see all the migration info proactively displayed. Get going save all those 'memory pichs'

Jittery Jerry Mouse

We had an unlikely visitor this morning outside our house. It was Jerry Mouse! Scared to a corner by... no, not Tom Cat but by a black dog (our black lab). He seemed to be stuck up at the Kennel. Lucky for him the dog was chained on the opposite side for cleaning up. The dog kept barking at him non-stop, that’s what got us out..

He wouldn't move one bit, the barking had scared him off so bad. I tried to nudge him away with a stick "Go man go... he won't harm you" and he would have be saying " Man!! You are telling me? Look at the carnivorous infrastructure in the black dude's muzzle; I prefer not to take your advice after seeing that". Hell! What do we do now? If that dog's desperation to get hold of the little fellow ends up in a broken belt/chain, we not only have bloody mess but also a problem of getting him settled.

Enter the savior, my uncle who gives a damn to these little animals. He uncaringly (actually he did care, he wanted to save the mouse from this nightmare.) He rolled him off with a stick, the bugger still wouldn’t move. No he was not injured; he did run a few paces here and there. Uncle finally got hold of his tail (man! I wouldn’t be able to do that with a living mouse) and put him outside the compound wall into the grass.

"Off you go little fella!... next time be more careful"