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The Hindu : y>Refined styling, novel features, good ride and an affordable price tag — the Discover DTS-Si makes a sound case for itself

In a better avatar Ride quality is good with the bike efficiently soaking up all sorts of road undulations

It’s clear that Bajaj is moving along itstight schedule after rolling out the stylish XCD 135 DTS-Si, revamping the Pulsar line-up and also enhancing its existing models by improving their quality and refinement. In July, the manufacturer introduced a new Discover DTS-Si.But does the new Bajaj motorcycle possess the potential for discovering a new commuter market share for Bajaj?

The Discover DTS-Si does not sport a fresh face and shares its silhouette with the original Discover 125 DTS-i. But the all-black treatment to the new 100cc bikes, smart five-spoke alloy wheels, front forks, engine, chain cover and neat-looking sheared silencer manage to mask its age.

A new battery-powered headlight is flanked by twin pilot lamps in the familiar headlamp cluster and provides bright, totally waver-free illumination at night. There are neat twin-pod instruments that offer riders a useful tripmeter, speedometer and fuel gauge, beacons for the turn indicators, neutral warning and battery. We found the grips and levers comfortable to use and the switchgear easy to work with. This includes a blue ride-control switch that helps riders maximise mileage by providing tactile guidance to prevent excessive opening of the throttle. The handle-mounted mirrors give a good view of the world behind.

The Discover 100 sports rubberised gearshift and rear brake pedals that feel comfortable and offer relatively better grip in the wet. The new bike follows the Discover family tradition by displaying its frame around the swingarm pivot region. A blackened alloy grab handle at the rear sits atop a stylish LED tail-lamp. We enjoyed the extra protection provided by the rear mudguard. What’s part of the standard kit on the Discover DTS-Si 100cc is a…More

The Hindu : y>

Hilarious Cartoon show gets a local flavour

Cartoon Network will showcase a new animated comedy show “Billy Mandy aur Life mein Haddi” from September 14 on weekdays at 7.30 p.m. The show will feature the rib-tickling hilarious escapades of two six year olds – Billy and Mandywith Haddi, a supernatural skeleton in his afterlife.

The show has been trans-created to make it more relevant for cartoon lovers in India by adding local flavour to the characters, content and animation. Six-year old Billy is a happy-go-lucky child who likes to explore his surroundings, that often lands him into trouble.

Meanwhile, Mandy loves power and control. Together they make a great team. Adding spice to their lives is Haddi – a supernatural skeleton in his after life. Tune into the show from 14 September to catch all the action.

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The Hindu : y>Ford Ikon’s cool new look

Ford India has launched a new version it the Ikon. Called the iKool, the saloon features new badging, chrome deck lid appliqué and spoiler.

The interior features an iPod-compatible MP3 audio system, which is becoming popular on most new cars. It also has a remote keyless entry anti-theft system and matching seat covers and is priced at Rs 4.82 lakh for the 1.3-litre petrol version and Rs 5.42 lakh for the 1.4-litre diesel version, both prices being ex-showroom, New Delhi.

Ford offers a 2-year / 100,000km warranty on the Ikon iKool and an option to purchase ‘Extended Warranty’ that covers the car against all electrical and mechanical failures for an additional period.

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The Hindu :

V.S. Yalvigi has an unusual passion – he collects postal cancellation marks

Photo: K. GopinathanRARE FEAT What Yalvigi is doing could be a world record

Playing with dates and number combinations interests the 83-yearold Professor V.S. Yalvigi a great deal.

He is a member of the KarnatakaPhitalely society andhas collected cancellationpost marks on Palindromedates, that is a number orother sequence of units thatcan be read the same way ineither direction (such asdates starting from 01-01-01to 12-12-12).

He says: “The 09-09-09combination is supposed tobe a very lucky number, sinceit is a `Harshad’ number andthe product is also divisibleby 3. The Chinese also considerthis number and datecombination to be verylucky.”

He says: “The term `Harshad’number was coined by amathematician and refers todates that are divisible by theinteger.

Yalvigi says: “I have collectedthe postal cancellationmarks of these dates everyyear from 2001 and plan to doso till 2012. Postal cancellationstamps are accepted asan official mark of the dateacross the world. It will be aworld record of sorts, sinceno other person has been involvedin this exercise.”

He adds: “It is a very rareoccurrence and happens onlyonce in a millennium andshall happen only once in acentury. It will be a nice exhibitto show future generationsand provide a record.”

He also plans to exhibitthese postmarks in an exhibitionafter the entire collectionis completed in 2012.

Apart from his collectionof the Palindrome dates, Yalvigiis also an avid collector ofstamps and has presented acollection of stamps andminted coins featuring MahatmaGandhi at various exhibitionsacross the world.

NIKHIL VARMA

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The Hindu : y>The superbikes willbe hereby 2010

Harley-Davidson — leader in cruising and touring motorcycles — has officially announced its plans to unleash its cult motorcycles onIndia. The bikes will be here by 2010. After many false starts, the company seems to have concretised plans.For now, Harley-Davidson India will focus on growing the Harley-Davidson brand through a variety of consumer experiences and on establishing a local dealer network. HD has already identified dealers in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Punjab. The range and price of the Harleys that are to be introduced are yet to be confirmed.May be an India-specific model is also on the cards.

We need to till 2010 for the cattle and common stray’s on our streets to make way for these gurgling hogs.

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The Hindu :

Lou Majaw enthralled the audience with his energetic rendition of Bob Dylan numbers

Mr tambourine man Lou Majaw belted out classics

Sporting long, greying hair, a short sleeveless white tee shirt, his signature skin-tight denim shorts, blue socks and white sneakers, the 62-year old Bob Dylan devotee belts out some of the legend’s greatest hits to a packed crowd at The Opus.

Lou Majaw and his band, Great Society, were in town recently as part of the Kingfisher Pub Rock Fest organised by Rock Street Journal and co-sponsored by Romanov Red.

Playing out some Dylan favourites Majaw had the crowds swaying to “Blowin’ in the Wind”, “Had a Dream About you, Baby”, and “The Times – They are a Changin’” among other songs.

Strumming a guitar, he moved around the audience, dancing and jumping with youthful bliss as he took the audience on a journey back in time.

Believing in living the life, the veteran musician from Shillong is without doubt one of India’s most accomplished musicians.

Expressing his devotion to Dylan, Majaw says, “There has been no one like Dylan. He has touched so many lives. The depth of his writings and phrasing are eternal and the kind of bonding that comes out through them is unique.”

Popularly known as ‘the Dylan of the North-East’, Majaw has been widely inspired by the music of other greats such as Bill Haley and Elvis Presley. Coming from the Khasi tribe, he moved on to Kolkata and played for various groups there.

In 1966, he was introduced to Dylan’s music. “After that my life changed. His songs lit up my life and gave it a lot of meaning,” recalls Majaw.

“Dylan inspires people like no one else and creates music that is powerful and revolutionary.”

Inspired by the counterculture icon’s music, Majaw later organized a Dylan birthday concert in Shillong on May 24, 1972.

Since then he has organized the concert every year on…More

The Hindu : y>Car and bike questions? We have the answers

A friend is scouting for a new small car but he recently came upon a sparsely-driven (14,000km), well-maintained 2004 Palio 1.6 GTX. His daily running will be around 10km and he is aware of the car’s fuel economy. Can a 1.6GTX be upgraded with a CNG or LPG kit, and what price should he buy it for?

Rakesh Nalavade

The 1.6 Palio is one of the best hatchbacks to drive, thanks to its strong 100bhp twin-cam engine, which is a delight. It would be an absolute waste to throw that all away by converting the engine to CNG or LPG. Since the daily running is only 10km, it’s really not worth doing a conversion. We suggest your friend leave the engine as it is and enjoy the car to its full potential. For a five-year-old Palio, you should not be paying more than Rs 1.2 lakh.Is Skoda planning a new Indian Octavia using the Polo or Fabia platform? If so, when will it be launched and what will be the expected price? Also, in such an event, will the older (current Octavia) get a cheaper price tag?

Sahil Gupta

Yes, the new Octavia will be built on an extended version of the Polo platform. This car is expected in late 2010. However, the existing Octavia is likely to be phased out. If you are thinking of buying an Octavia, it would be a good idea to buy it just before the model is discontinued so that you get the best possible deal.I drove a Maruti 800 for 14 years but recently sold it. I have now booked a Tata Nano and will get the car in October. However, I have some doubts. Can the car be driven for over three to five hours non-stop andon highways since I feel this is a purely a city car….More

The Hindu : y>Nida Mahmood, young and quirky, creates a recession-proof collection that’s kitschy and stylish, finds BHUMIKA K.

Photo: K. GopinathanCHIC KITSCH Nida’s winter collection High on Chai is replete with street imagery

Chic tarpaulin handbags, motifs of the humble chai kettle on a kerosene stove, and crows. Howzzat for designer wear? Can’t make the association, right? That’s what Nida Mahmood is hoping to do with her “recession-proof collection”, as she likes to call it.

“It is a quirky take on the industry. And the concept worked well with the recession,” says a husky-voiced Nida Mahmood, all of 28 and towering tall.“I’m attracted to the mundane things in life… things that people tend to overlook. You can’t go through your day without your fix of chai,” she smiles, her glittering nose ring and bindi as quirky as her collection.

The Delhi-based designer was in Bangalore to showcase her winter collection, “High on Chai” at Collage. “It’s about street imagery. The dhaba chai, the crows you hear everyday, but don’t attach real importance to,” says Nida, talking of the inspiration of her kitschy line dominated by black prints on neon greens, bright yellows as well as blues and ivories. She weaves in the tarpaulin, as ubiquitous in a makeshift chai shop as is the chai itself. The collection includes crow-and-graffiti print skirts, kaftan dresses, bags and scarves, panelled saris with hand embroidery, brocade patches and origami flower blouses. “I do ‘attitude’ clothing. It may be a tunic or a sari. I do fusion, a bit of Indo-Western and a bit of men’s clothing.”

A pair of neon pants she had featured recently at a fashion week was fodder for much conversation and publicity. In that Nida achieved what she was aiming for. “There are elements in everyone’s quirky side that’s in your face. When you want to be heard, you want to use loud colours,” explains the NIFT-ian.

Her saris…More

The Hindu : y>The Toyota car gets new features and equipment

After launching its much-awaited SUV, the Fortuner, Toyota has also rolled out an upgraded version of the Camry saloon, which is priced from Rs 21.2 lakh for the base manual transmission version, going up to Rs 23.4 lakh for the automatic version.

Among the new features on offer are a Plasmacluster air-conditioning system with Minus Ion Generator which helps eliminate germs from the cabin air. It also has intelligent rain-sensing wipers, and MID controls on the steering wheel.

Other goodies include chrome-rimmed fog-lamps, LED turn signals on the outer mirrors, and a new front grille and bumper, multi-reflector headlamps and 10-spoke alloy wheels.

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The Hindu :

A workshop for teachers based on eurhythmics was a dialogue between music and movement

LEARNING Suthradhar aims at bringing together a variety of resources and books under one roof

Feather, stone, rope, ball, paint, plastic cover, sand paper, Chinese stick, coloured cloth, poems, songs, stories, simple musical instruments like little drums, xylophones, cymbals, bells, a mixed bag of material ranging from simple to specific, adapted to teach the very fundamental concepts and skills to children – Eurhythmics it is in a word.

A two-day workshop last month, organised by Sutradhar, a non-profit educational resource centre and conducted by Angela Ritcher Cariappa, elaborated to the participants, the what, why and how under Eurhythmics.

The best way to be convinced that Eurhythmics works is to experience it. The workshop itself was based on Eurhythmics. The first couple of activities broke the ice and introduced the participants to each other. It was followed by an assortment of activities catalysed by a variety of music. If one activity made the participants walk through a ‘tactile obstacle path’ to recognise textures, another made them improvise and enact poems on animals with musical instruments. The participants fell like a stone and flew like a feather to learn the concept of weight. The dialogue between music and movement increased creativity as well as verbal and non-verbal communication.

After every activity the learning objectives were discussed. At the end of the workshop there was one exhaustive list derived from all the activities, broadly categorised into Sensory Perception & Cognition, Motor skills & Body Awareness, Creative Development, Language & Communication skills and Social skills.

By age three, a child’s brain has formed about 1,000 trillion connections – about twice as many as adults have. The ‘years of promise’ between three and ten are a time of rapid development of social, linguistic, cognitive and physical competencies. The brain is the ultimate example of the saying “use…More