My experience in RIIMUN 2009

Well,for the uninitiated..may I conveniently inform you that RIIMUN(Rotaract Club of Pune North East India International Model United Nations) is an annual event organized by RCPNE which invites students from all over the country to act as delegates representing different countries.This year the event was held from 29th Feb-1st Jan 2009.Here are my experiences from the trip...

MY EXPERIENCE IN RIIMUN-'09

Or should I say it Re-MUN...cause I want it again and again and again..What a trip it was, at least for me. A trip filled with fun, humour, disasters turned into opportunities, bla.bla.bla.

As was expected, we 'launched' our mission from Lucknow in three separate groups crafted out of our 12-member team(at least on paper).Mind you I wasn't aware our full contingent till the event got over!

I think the leader was our very own 'modern-day-MANU'(you got it right!).The trip to Allahabad was 'educational'-thanks to Alok sir-I now know about all the 'pairs' of RML. Upon reaching Allahabad 'Cow' Station we were served to a quite wide variety of fauna ,viz. , donkeys, monkeys, cows, rats...n yes, some humans also. The journey to Pune was largely enjoyable for everyone except Ashutosh who was subjected to some 'intense mental and physical molestation' by Deepak.

Pune-as a city-we found hot(in the better sense...of course). The four days of the event-first at Vishwabhavan and the rest at SCMS-were the most hectic ever. Imagine 18-hour days continuously for four days-no wonder some delegates decided to distract their minds to other 'objects and activities' of fun. The first day was the training session-delegates were introduced to the the nuances of the trade. People were finally allowed to have a look on the much maligned, abused, victim-of-all-outbursts Mr. Harsh Nangia, the project-director, RIIMUN 2009. The second day entailed much hard-work( on all fronts).And as if none of the delegates were exhausted by the evening-there came a surprise of DJ(or was he?)No surprise only a third of the delegates attended it(and a third of attendants danced). What was most spectacular were the faces of the delegates-resembling more like Tenzing Norgay just after he achieved his mammoth feat. Back at our room, we slept from eleven to seven like ‘soldiers back from Tiger Hill’. Third day was more or less the same apart from the expressions on each face that read out loud-ANYTHING BUT DEBATING. The respectable delegates could be found watching movies, playing games, flirting, discussing each-others private lives, hitting on the judges themselves, etc.etc. A very interesting feature of the event was that the organizers were more than willing to deliver a rose(with a personalized message) to your preferred delegate in case you wanted to express your feelings to him/her. Special ‘hit-proof’ messengers were even appointed for this job. Hats-off to Symbiosis for pioneering this effort which will definitely have Shiv-Sena’s work cut-out for a rather eventful festival looming large on the horizon. Then came the Award ceremony...accompanied by crap humour. Most of the awards, I suppose all of them, went to Symbiosis. I’m still wondering why does this always happen?(see how intelligent I am).I sincerely feel Avinash sir should have been given the award for the ‘Outstanding Delegate’. Come on yar, he was rarely seen inside his committee.INJUSTICE. There was some rock concert scheduled which the delegates of-course decided to skip for the simple reason that you needed to give some 300 bucks in ‘charity’ for getting an entry. And I guess the concert was nothing but a pole-dance by an insanely over-grown guitarist(he claimed to be) who doubled up as the secretary-general. Imagine Ban Ki-Moon doing it for you...the rock-concert BOMBED.Bigtime. Well, that sums up our RIIMUN experience as a team. As for my personal experience, it was one of the most eventful experiences of my life. You don’t get to represent a whole country every-day. And yes, who can forget my two-day ‘dream’ with one of the most beautiful girls there( i think she became Ms. RIIMUN). I cherished being the sore of every eye there. Bragging Rights...Anyone?

Final Vedict:Still confused if you should participate in RIIMUN 2010?Here’s my verdict...

Why go there?

· You wanna have fun of your lives
· You haven’t ever seen Pune..and are dying to see it
· You want Bragging Rights(like me)

Why don’t go there?
· You participate in any event with a slight chance of winning something.IN RIIMUN YOU DON’T
· Pune’s extremely hot(I mean the weather) and costly
· You find your local girls/boys more attractive(poor fellow...)
· You are a die-hard MNS fan

Some Notes in case you decide to go there:
· Don’t go via Allahabad- one of the most mis-managed, unplanned, dirty stations I’ve ever seen(sorry Aditya)
· Don’t ever order food from the pantry car of Indian Railways. Even our ‘much-maligned’ mess serves 100 times better food.
· Don’t expect Symbiosis to provide respite from the weather there
· Always Remember: RIIMUN IS TAILOR-MADE FOR SYMBIOSIS

The new Apple iPod Shuffle

In a cut-throat competitive market, its not a surprise to see a number of music players in the market. Cheap,claiming-to-be-reliable etc.etc.Ask any customer using the chinese gadgets, and you are sure to get raised 'brows.Agreed,there are quite decent products also in the market like the Creative Zen,Sandisk, Sony and the likes.But the most halo-ed player in this segment is no-doubt Apple.A company whose name is synonymous with quality and technological-advancement. And Apple surely banks on its Personal Music Players(PMPs) to do the trick.Whenever launched, the Apple PMPs are the ones creating the most buzz. There's a range of these players for anyone who is willing to shell out some decent bucks.The iPod shuffle is Apple's largest selling product for the simple reason that it the snob value and the experience of the marquee at a fraction of the cost.The second generation iPod was launched in late 2006. I bought mine almost 2 months late. Going by the first looks of the packaging...its looks Apple have hit the bull's eye.The iPod comes in an uber-cool transparent package which includes the iPod machine,3.5mm earphone,the cool charging dock and a small quick-start guide. The shuffle is available in 1GB and 2GB models and four colours,viz. silver,green,blue, and pink. Upon handling the machine, one instantly feels on another level as compared to other PMP users.The most prominent part of the model is the large dial which is very functional for controlling the flow of songs and volume. The central play/pause buttons also serves the function of 'hold' on pressing for three seconds.Apple seems to have sorted out the problem of slippery on/off switch of the first version and the one on the new model worked perfectly.As the name(shuffle) goes, a switch is further provided in the iPod to select the playing sequence of the songs-random or in sequence. The iPod is charged through a dock provided which connects to the 3.5mm earphone jack.But on-the flip side, this hampers the USB connectivity of the iPod as you now have to carry the wired dock for all data transfers. The iPod takes around 3 hours to fully charge.But 80% of the battery can be charged in around 1.5hours itself. Apple claims a battery life of 12hours which is more or less true.Amazing.This one's going to last all your work-outs and journeys.Moving on to the sound quality-its amazing.As was expected from Apple. Though the bass is not huge but the clarity of sound surely makes up for it and provides a satisfying experience.But the best part of the ipod,at least for me, is the in-built clip.Its so useful and functional that it instantly gives a feeling of 'why didn't I think of it'.The clip surely justifies Apple's tag line-THE WORLD'S MOST WEARABLE iPOD.The iPod can be clipped on almost any cloth-your sleeves,collars,pockets,etc.Brilliant.The ear-buds provided by the company are bang-for-the-buck.They fit into the ear perfectly,unlike most other ear buds.The 1GB model holds roughly 250 songs while the 2GB one holds just double.Weighing just .55 ounce ,the shuffle is probably also the lightest iPod around.The iPod comes a indicating light to indicate charge-left.Currently the iPod is available in India for Rs. 2600 for the 1 GB model and Rs. 3600 for the 2 GB model.
Final Word
I would say that Apple has definitely justified its position as the epitome of music by dishing a genuinely applaudable effort in the form of the second generation iPod shuffle.The iPod feels overly priced at first but soon the sound quality and the little tits-bits mentioned above start to grow on you.Though the bass could have been better and the USB connectivity is a pinch sometimes but still this machine has lots of positives for the customer. Beginners and those graduating from cheap Chinese ones are never going to complain.Hats off to Apple to rolling out one of the most revered products of the 21st century.

Why go for it?
-You want something better(and more reliable) than the local ones
-The clip feature is to-die-for
-Marvelous sound quality
-Snob value/bragging rights

Why not go for it?
-You have a budget of more than 7k
-You wanna watch movies,read e-books,surf the net on your ipod.
-You love to party hard and eant something with more bass

KD rating---8.5/10(Very Good)

CBZ-Xtreme

Hi guys!!Hereby I sit down and give you the lowdown on the HERO HONDA CBZ-Xtreme.
Stunt.Street.Speed.Sensation.These are the very words that crack the mind of a urban 20 something Indian when he thinks of CBZ.Of ruling the Indian stunt arena.The CBZ has enjoyed the cult status in the premium segment of Indian biking since time when the shift from scooters to biking took place.The new CBZ carries on the legacy of the coveted CBZ brand in the 150cc category, the older ones being CBZ and CBZ*.It was officially launched by Hero Honda in November 2006.The bike comes in five colours,viz.,Black,Blue,Blazing Red and Silver and Maroon.
Specifications*:
Name-Hero Honda CBZ-Xtreme
Engine Type-Air Cooled, 4-stroke single cylinder OHC
Engine Capacity-149.2 cc
Maximum Power-14.4 BHP@8500 rpm
Maximum Torque-12.80 Nm@6500 rpm
Starting-Self/Kick
Clutch-Multiple Wet
GearBox- 5 speed toeshift/1 down-4 up
Suspension(F)-Telescopic Hydraulic Shock Absorbers
Suspension(R)-Swing Arm with multiple Hydraulic Shock Absorbers
Brakes(F)-240mm Disk
Brakes(R)-130mm Drum
Tyres(R)-100/90*18 56P
Tyres(F)-2.75 * 18 42P
Fuel Tank Capacity-12lts(1.5 lts usable reserve)
Kerb Weight-143 kg(self)/141 kg(kick)
Price-58225(Self) Ex-Showroom (Delhi)
55755(Kick)Ex-Showroom(Delhi)
*Source:Hero Honda

Engine and Performance











The bike comes with the 2nd most powerful engine in the 150cc category in the country after the YAMAHA R15. The brand CBZ is known for street racing and performance for the enthusiast.And the current version does not dissapoint either.The bike urges you whirl the accelerator till eternity. The reponse is lightning quick as the relatively torquey engine propels the bike from 0-60 in just under 5 seconds and thrillls you all the way to a respectable 111 kmph. The short shifts make breezing through the stop-start city traffic a joy in the 2nd gear. However, more emphasis on performance has led the engine going harsh. The vibes are generously felt at high speeds.

Styling
The most controversial part of the bike to say the least. The styling is not to everyone's liking-the point of contention being the size of the front fairing which looks tiny for the size of the rest of the bike. The rest of the looks are more or less in-sync with each other.The tank has been so as to make the rider-knee fit into it, which actually does.The mirrors and rear suspension are body-colored .The streamlined middle-rear section of the bike is magnificent and conveniently gives you a big bike feel. The chrome inserts in the middle section provide the bike a modern character. Riding with the times, HH has rolled out the bike with black alloys front and rear.The alloys are thick and strong and provide a sturdy feel unlike the Apache ones which look like plastic-made.The engine carries the same black finishing making it look upmarket.The speedo other gadgetrycis simple and effective.However, one unusual problem that I found with the bike was that the Speedo and the Tacho needles are not parallel to each other. While the Tacho needle is perfectly placed(see pic) the speedo needle points in a more advanced position.Though this seems harmless,what it does that it even at slow speeds it gives an impression to the rider that the speeds are way more than what it is. This could have been desirable in commuter segment, but since this bike is aimed at enthusiast biker this won't help the rider's mindset.The instrument pod and the overall headlamp assembly of the X-Treme have a more trapezoidal shape looking like Karizma. The new turn indicators have been integrated into the headlamp housing and the tail lamp cluster features a segmented stop and brake light section with the turn indicators built into a single unit that wraps around the brake light’s bottom side. Both these features will help you to save your indicators in busy road condition. LEDs have been used replacing the conventional bulbs and together with the new Bajaj Pulsar 180 DTS-i becomes one of the first bikes to feature this kind of lighting at the rear. X- Treme also features split grab rail first of its kind in indian bikes (also featured in recently launched Pulsar 200cc)

Ride and Handling
HH has opted for a harsher suspension at the rear end which makes the ride bumpy.The stones and pebbles in the common Indian street filter through and are felt by the pillion. But the better half of the story is that the hard suspension in turn does a hell lot of good to the handling. The bike's handling is very forgiving is a God-send in city traffic as well as during high- speed slingshot maneuvering. It tends to spoil you for considering yourself as next to GOD on streets. The 240mm front discs provide for excellent feedback and make the rider invest his confidence in them.









GearBox
The bikes with a 5 speed toe-shift gearbox providing single down and four up shifts. The occurence of the solid thud in each gear change(especially during change from 1st to 2nd)is music to the rider. The shifts are short are provide for quick response from the bike. Though the same old 5th gear problem with the Indian bikes is not addressed .The 5th gear gets stuck frequenly which leads to extreme levels of vibration.

Fuel Efficiency
The bike provides for acceptable average in city as well as highway driving. While smooth city driving will return you an economy of 55kmpl.On highway it manages it cough up a healthy 62kmpl.

The Final Word
The CBZ establishes its supemacy in the 150 cc street arena all the more with the advent of the X.It takes the performance goalpost all the more further from the competitors. But still what HH needs to do is rectify the minor glitches like vibes and front-fairing so as to make it all the more lucrative buy for the Indian customer. The introduction of the handsome HUNK has helped matters for the global biking leader but not for the CBZ.Inspite of co-existing with the
Hunk CBZ hasn't lost even a bit of the fan following.

Ratings
Engine and Performance-****1/2
Styling-***
Ride and Handling-****
Fuel Efficiency-****
Gearbox-****
Overall-****

In short
PROS-Performance,Handling,HH quality
CONS-Bumpy Ride,Controversial Styling,Vibes
Why go for it-You love f****ng the show offs-the P150 and P180 on street
Why not go for it-Wanna impress gals with style and useless funky gadgetry.

Recent Upgrades













Going by popular demand,HH upgraded the CBZ,though the upgrades are only visual.The bike now comes with dual tone colours(including mirrors). The fairing now gets a chrome insert while the console gets a carbon-fibre insert.Different coloured front and rear rims are now optional. The colour of the grab-rail changes. The indicators are now tarnsparent providing a refreshed feel. Though looks are subjective but HH has seriously dissapointed the enthusiast community by not upgrading the performance parameters of the bike.It comes with the same old engine delivering the same performance.The bike comes emblazened with a ATFT logo(nothing new, it always existed).The older version of the CBZ also co-exists so its upto you what you select for yourself....But one things certain-shortcomings aside,YOU will never feel cheated with the kind
of performance this bike offers.See ya...