Sunday, December 27, 2009

After ME: Booked Maruti Suzuki SX4 ZXi MT


After the sad bit, comes some extra-ordinary excitement. The man amongst sedans is coming my way on 02-Jan-2010. Booked the Silky Silver color. At the top of the world right now.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Adios Dear Indu

Feeling really nostalgic today, remembering all the beautiful moments I've shared with my car. Long drives, monsoon drives, picnics, vacations and above all a very important phase of my life. The car saw it all and was with me during possibly the best phase of my life.

However since all good things always end, so has this little journey of 6 long years and even in the end, she has paved the path for the next car.

26/7 was the one day I will probably cherish the most, as on this day, she turned into an angel, who took care of me and my dad right untill the rain stopped and the light of dawn showed up. Had it not been for the radiator fan helping circulate air, I shudder to think what might have happened.

Then there are memories for a last-time with a special someone, and some very important family moments. She looked so beautiful on my wedding day with a gorgeous decoration and got Sony and me home after our marriage. The monthly trips my sister took during her pregnancy. Ojas's first ride. The journey I took to meet my in-labour wife, and then in the middle of the journey, being given the news of Mia's arrival - Kasara Ghat to be precise.

Its' a mixed feeling to let her go, I can only hope the next guy/girl who is lucky enough to get her, treats her well, and sees her through her retirement. There are some things that money can't replace - my first car tops that list.

Adios Indu

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Test Drive Report: Fiat Linea MJD

Linea - I have not drooled over anything ever in my life (lie) but this one got me my first. Its' a marvellous piece of machine an absolute beauty to look at. BUT, is the car as good from the inside? I decided to evaluate it myself.

I went for a walk-in test-drive as my call to Wasan Motors, Borivali-E, requesting for a petrol Linea TD went un-returned. I was at Spectra once more to get the evaluation done for my current car, my true love, till date. With a bit of anxiety I walk into the Tata Motors showroom - same as above - to evaluate the only other option I was considering. The Fiat Linea 1.4 Emotion Pack.

First thing I noticed was the "same-old-feeling" of being at something "Tata". Its' neither impressive nor exciting to say the least. I felt the Bajaj showroom next door had more pulse and vigor than this one. I ask for a TD and the lady asks me to fill a form and voila I'm next to the Fiat-Tata salesman. This is where the experience changed, this guy came across as an ace salesman and more importantly very professional. At the outset, I made clear "No technical data please", I know all there is to know about the car, before buying. (Courtesy: Team-BHP)

The disappointment began early, no petrol test-drive vehicle. I was itching for a test-drive anyway so I decided to go with the MJD instead. The idea was to judge the "feel" of the car, and evaluate the petrol later. I was further told that petrol wont be available till January 2010.

Now for the real cool bit, the test drive itself. The Linea was parked in such an awkward place, that I requested them to pull it out of the parking area, lest I scratch the very car I'm evaluating for a purchase. Once inside the disappointment started swelling. I was expecting loads of interior space given the monstrous length, but sadly my Indica can give it a bit of a run for its money. But space apart, I was staring at 6-years of automobile progress, rather 26 years of it, as I don't think my Indica was anywhere near the latest piece of machinery when I bought it 6 yrs back. The only disappointment was that all in-dash information was frozen - this was someones' paid vehicle. Poor soul, I am really sorry.

The gadgetry inside was astounding, the feel was OK, nothing to drool or go berserk about. Apt I'd say. Once I started the car, the car sound was no louder than a whisper, there's a space-age diesel underneath. The 1st, 2nd & 3rd were peppy and the car can pin you to your seat if need be, but the FE would be heading south for sure.

The decisive part of the TD happened when I was at about 40, and engaged the fourth, and started climbing a Flyover. I could feel the drop in AC and the temperature perceptibly got higher, and the car itself was ambling up the slope at its own pace, I'd floored the accelerator but it made no difference. I used the "diesel" trick of pumping and even that did not give me the desired response. Then at another time, I distinctly remember having to down-shift for power - that was natural thanks to my Indica. The short TD ended and I decided to check out the rear seat. Lo-behold I felt very familiar, its no more comfy than my existing car. Wifey already had a irritated look for having made her go through all this after the exhilarating SX4 TD the other day. I did not exactly differ by a whole lot.

With such a not-so-positive feel from the supposedly "powerful" sibling I had very little hope for the petrol. Please dont get me wrong, a 1000 Lineas are selling monthly in India, but I seriously wonder how many of them were ex-Indica owners. The SX4 offered me a thorough upgrade from my Indica, I mean every element of it. This one unfortunately doesn't. In fact the sight of a world-champion auto-manufacturer sharing space with a humble Indian car company is pitiful. Its' just plain wrong. The step-brotherly treatment starts right from the placement of Linea pricelist, the ones for Manza are right next to the visitor louge and for the Linea - you need to request the receptionist. The Fiat salesman looked too good to be there, and was clearly on his own in a sea of Vistas and Manzas. No Linea on display, only parked next to a humongous waste area.

Overall, I guess a great car to admire from outside as long as it belongs to someone else. Sadly, I was quite prepared for everything except being downgraded in terms of A.S.S. I mean I've seen how bad it can be for a Tata Vehicle, now the same folks are gonna look down upon you...not in this life again.

Last word: If Fiat goes single, it's gonna be a different story al-together.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Magnitect: Longest Bridge - Fornax Link

This is my latest creation an awesome 37-inch bridge made up of magnet bricks and steel balls. This is the longest I've gone with the set that I have, and is by far the most stable one I've built. It started off with a single tier at one end and after about 10-inches or so, I elevated it with a single brick support. However soon the magnetic element started creeping in, and the bridge started experiencing a twisting force due to opposite poles being close to each other.

This effect, I'll call the "Game-Spoiler Twist Effect" or GSTE is one setback of the game design. If you start building a tall structure, it quickly takes effect and results in a disappointing breakdown at some point. To counter it, you need to follow all the rules of basic construction, and more. However by far the most stable structure I've built is an egyptian pyramid. Its' so solid, I could even toss it in the air, and it didnt budge. Guess that shape is built for stability, so much so that it is aped in many walks of life.

Ok, coming back to the bridge, once I decided to elevate it at 10-inches, things started becoming tough. I decided to provide a stronger stable support and decided upon a 3 joins gap between piers, this lent an amazing stability to the further structure, hence decided to increase the gap to 5 joins, which is where it failed miserably, thus decided to settle at 4-joins. Here onwards the design was settled and the further construction involved mostly labor. When the last piece was added, it measured ~37 inches which was a new record for me. Hence I decided to call this the Fornax Link, a tribute to my presence on Team BHP.

(The reason for this long post is to ensure the images dont appear by themselves)

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Test Drive Report: SX4

Here we go...its' an awesome car, backed by an giant of an automobile company - Maruti Suzuki. The test drive was a pleasant experience, one phone call, and the dealer - Spectra Motors, Borivali - welcomed me for a test drive "anytime" I want. There was hardly any delay, the salesman - Mr. Rahul, walked right next to me and asked me to check out the displayed SX4 AT, beige gold.

The tall stance of SX is already folklore, but only when you get behind the wheel is when you realize what it means, and why. It almost makes you feel like being in a SUV - my 5'11' frame was most comfy at the highest end of the seat and it gave a view par-excellence from there.

Finally after a few minutes of drooling over the beauty, we went for the test drive a top-end manual version with full body kit. It was a sheer beauty, and the fun only begins when you stand right next to it. Its' a no-nonsence stance, I tell you. Sitting in my Indica, I've always felt threatened by the "tall-bullies" (read rowdy Qualis drivers). Not anymore, this guy - yes its' masculine to the core - gives you a confidence that makes you feel adequate to take on one and all except CVs.

I started the ignition, and instead of the usual roar I am used to, got a sweet nothing instead. The engine is noise-less to say the least. Once on the road, started evaluating a few points I had in mind:

A-Pillar blind-spots
My verdict: Yes, its an issue, but only if you are blind! Any humanoid with two working set of optical organs should be able to work with the design efficiently. Clearly the car is designed for those who would look at where their car is headed rather than the ones who like to be surprised at every corner.

Braking
My verdict: The car is equipped with ABS and EBD, that effectively means a space-age jump for me from my Indica days. This is by far the most advancement in terms of technology over my current car.

Ride Quality & Handling
My verdict: The 16" tubeless mounted on alloys make a world of difference. The car did hit some bumps and manage to cushion them well, however, I was on the WE Highway and the road was mostly smooth - as smooth as the City permits them to be - with great pickup and nice cornering. I even intimated an auto - and this in a test drive. Wifey was very pleased with the ride, she got to be the passenger and wanted me to book it right way only for the comfort this beast is capable of.

Space & Interiors
My verdict: Well, its' an aptly designed car. No more no less. Its not exactly designed to fool you into thinking you are driving anything more than what you are paying. No sir, you get the very best of the mid-segment. Slap on a Stanley cover and this baby will look ravishing for sure. I loved all the gizmos' on offer, the best of all were steering wheel controls. The music system was strictly OK, but given that my little girl loves to doze off when we start our journeys, I think its' perfectly fine.

Overall
My verdict: A 90% chance of booking the ZXi Manual within the next 30 days, however that depends on a certain document being received by me from office. If all augurs well, our Silver SX4 would be entering our apartment on Mia's birthday.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Biggest day of my career!

Sometimes you feel like pausing and looking back, and sometimes you just feel like hitting the pedal and going full speed ahead. Today, I guess I feel a little bit of both.

If my career were a three stage rocket laugh that's eventually placed in orbit, I think I've just completed Phase-I. The toughest phase - Phase II - to escape gravity is up ahead, and I've got my rocket aligned very well for meeting the challenges ahead. Phase III - my final phase would involve achieving the perfect velocity and angle for a perpetual orbit.

Irony has it that on this day when I've lived the happiest moment of my career till date, I miss Sony & Mia very bad. Its' a wonderful time to be alive and a wonderful time indeed to be doing what I do best. Write kick-ass software systems.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Bandra Worli Sealink

Hit the BWSL on the last day of its' *toll-free* state, and was surely not alone. Had probably almost all of Mumbai for company, and best of all Mia had her first real drive. She enjoyed (I guess) the sight, but was a tad tired due to the slow traffic that we hit before getting on the Sealink.
Honestly, its' a marvel of enggineering. An awesome gift to an awesome city I call home. It would indeed be quite a drive on a windy rain day, would surely be going there often.

I have found myself thinking about what would really be the "image" of Mumbai that people would identify with, and since the Metro is still under construction, the BWSL surely takes this honor. Move away Gateway of India, we sincerely dont need colonial hangovers. When it eventually completes, the whole of Mumbai would be within reach of 40-50 minutes from my home. It is progress like this that makes you proud about your nation, its' governance and its' place under the sun. Jai Ho!

Monday, May 25, 2009

Origin of Species? Doesnt quite add up!

Came across a page while googling for "Evolution Man" and was dumb-founded by the simple arguments put forth in series of logical and very very reasonable explanations debunking the DNA of my personality - Origin of Species.

The link: http://ldolphin.org/wmwilliams.html

Of all the reasonable explanations, the population argument is by far the most logical ones. Even wikipedia.org agrees that uptil around 70K BC there were less than thousand humans. Given that, how on earth did man originate many million years ago is not clear to me. I've been a believer of Occams Razor...and shame on me to discount the same when it comes to OoS!

Is Human a thoughful creation of a higher something many call "God"...well its' a bitter-pill to swallow, but compelling logic does not seem to point at anything else.

My own calculation assuming a 1% growth rate for 50 years also ends with Man being created around 80K BC...which means, that Humans are no more than a 100K years old. Wow! Wonderful thought to end my day, and perhaps to change the way I look at the world.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Manaswee "Mia" Kolekar

Mia, my little girl arrived into this world on 09-Feb-09 at 23:00 Hrs. The greatest gift to a man, the ultimate addition to our family, and the icing on our marriage. 

Her personality isn't yet quite apparent, but there are early signs of a mischievous brat, a packet of energy thats' gonna prove a handful. Ojas who preceeded her is quite a handful, and now with this addition, I can imagine some really testing times ahead. 

Their bond is already quite strong, with Ojas and its' fun to watch when he goes around calling her "Mazhi Chakuli" in a meek voice he never uses for anything else. That's the best gift for my little princess, a brother with whom she will attach a bond that will be at -par with mine or with Sony. 

There are some fascinating days ahead, and above all some sleepless nights, but whatever be the case, life will never ever be the same again. Am a family man now.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Slumdog Millionaire

4.5 out of 5

Exhilarating
 !
Brilliant !
Humbling !

This is a movie about Mumbai, its' "underbelly", it fabric and above all the inhabitants of its' slums. Slumdog Millionaire is a fast-paced drama of human values preserved through despecible acts of hardships, communal tension, exploitation, child-labor, torture and abuse. That the film depicts, almost laments the deplorable side of Mumbai's slum is hardly a central theme, more of a backdrop to the drama, than anything else. The same story could have been written in a village, or a middle-class family, albeit with far lesser impact, the backdrop chosen, fits its' purpose in a very apt manner.

Performances are truly outstanding, espcially the child-actors, they are the clear winners in this saga of human hardships faced in the face of harsh realities. Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto are passable, Anil Kapoor has done most of what he gets these days and Irrfan and Saurabh Shukla are outright misplaced in the movie. But the movie is by far dominated by "actors" that do not appear on-screen, the off-screen ones. Danny Boyle, the director, the cinematographer and the scores by A.R.Rahman, the stuff that legends are made up of.

The movie is nominated for 10 oscars and 12-odd BAFTA's, its' not everyday that such records are achieved, nor will it possibly happen in the next few years. After-all it takes a depression to lend a perfect backdrop to a human story such as Slumdog Millionaire.

A must watch if you love the word "Cinema"