IT IS BETTER TO SWEAT THAN TO BLEED

Automobiles have always been a status symbol for the fellows of the elite class in the society. Be it sports people, politicians, industrialists or movie stars and celebrities, your car shouts your name out loud. But only a handful of these people are inclined towards motorcycles. It’s not often that you see a movie star on a superbike. They’d rather pick their four wheeled machines to run about on their everyday chores. The reason behind this would be probably the risk factor. The added risk of injuries while travelling on a motorcycle would probably scare them off. But out of the very few movie stars who are adorned by their mechanical marvels, one notable person is Mr. Ajith Kumar, a superstar from tamil cinema. After all what better way to write an article to the star’s passion for automobiles, who recently celebrated his birthday on May 1^st.

The 43 year old actor has always been associated with automobiles since the early years of his cine career. He is well known for his short stint in motor racing. Yes Ajith Kumar is a professional motorcar racer, who drove in circuits around India in places such as Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi. He had also been abroad in his various races including Germany and Malaysia.

·         He has participated in the Indian Formula Maruti Championships n 2002.

·         He has participated in the Formula 3 BMW Asia Championships in 2003 for the Indian team.

·         He placed 6^th and 5^th in the 8^th and 10^th rounds respectively.

·         In total, he finished 12^th among a total of 20 drivers.

·         He participated in the British F3 Scholarship in 2004 for Team Mango from Japan.

“I’ve always had a need for speed. Ever since I sat in a car I wanted to be a professional racer. Lots of people have told me how difficult it is. But I’m not going to fail and I’ve never given anything less than my best shot in all my endeavors.” – Ajith

            He is a fan-favorite among superbike enthusiasts in and around Chennai and almost all his fans know about his passion towards collecting superbikes. Ajith for one has had his hands on a wide variety of superbikes like the Kawasaki ZMR, YZF R1, Ducati 1098, Aprilia Caponord, Ducati Diavel, BMW K1300S and his latest addition the BMW S1000RR.

            It is with this superbike that Ajith recently went on an awareness ride from Chennai to Bangalore and back. His fans are well aware of the star’s late night rides in the city, but this is the first time that he was reportedly seen on his new BMW superbike on bright daylight. He was quoted saying that the ride he undertook was mainly to emphasize on the importance of wearing proper safety gear on motorcycle rides in and out of the city. He also added that “It is better to sweat than to bleed.” Now this is a common phrase among the biking fraternity in Chennai and also among his fans.

            Now let us take a look on his race horse, the BMW S1000RR. In the world of motorcycles, BMW Motorrad was known for its offbeat, out-of-the-world adventure motorcycles until not long ago. The S1000RR however shot BMW into superbike zone. It won a pile of Bike Of The Year awards (BOTY) on its debut and almost overnight this bike was the one to beat. To put it in perspective, it’s the same way how the music composer of the “Kolaveri” hit single rocketed to fame overnight. The bike simply adds another feather to the crown of BMW and its great bie making heritage. This was the bike that gave BMW an indisputable edge in the world of sport bikes. When it was launched in 2009, it instantly became the most powerful production bike on the planet and it held that record for almost three years.

            Parked in a lot, this bike can pull a huge crowd, thanks to its quirky design. As with the case of almost all BMW bikes, the asymmetric design with the headlamps seems to kick of very well. The S1000RR is the epitome of German functionality. The oddball styling if not drool-worthy, is certainly eye catching. Not to mention the shark gill slits on the right fairing. That monolithic swingarm continues to exude that ‘marvel of engineering’ aura. It is bigger than most other liter class superbikes, especially the Japanese. It looks like nothing else and no one’s going to mistake it or anything else.

            For the S1000RR, BMW decided to do things a bit more in the conventional manner. They equipped it with a powerful 999-cc inline four cylinder engine, mated to a six speed transmission that supplies power to the rear wheel via a chain final drive and not a shaft drive. The chassis is aluminum and it features radial brakes, ABS, traction control and a weight of just 183 kilos. BMW’s intentions for the S1000RR were mainly related to racing and, in order to homologate the bike for WSBK, BMW initially produced only 1000 units. However, public demand for the bike forced them to enter series production, and the rest is history.

            With the inline four at heart, the Beemer boasts of a noisy and throaty cacophony from its exhausts which would be a delight to any superbike enthusiast. The power output of the S1000RR is around 193bhp and a whole 112Nm of torque at 9750rpm.

            Electronics and rider aids wise the Europeans have consistently had the upper hand. Throttle response is electric (literally) with ride-by-wire technology which is quite high end.  The S1000RR’s power delivery is quite aggressive, quite enough for your body to automatically clench itself onto the bike’s bodywork with just a slight twist of the throttle. It won’t kill you, but I’m sure it’ll give you a proper scare before it grabs you and knuckle-rubs your head.

            On the whole, the machine is a focused track tool, dedicated to motorsport enthusiasts. It works with the precision of a scalpel, slicing through corners with ease. And with the electronic package on, you’re free to switch it between ‘watering plants’ and ‘chainsaw massacre’ mode. The S1000RR remained the undisputed champion for a long time, saluting the Japs with its middle finger. On the pricing front, it is bloody expensive for things on two wheels. At thirty lacs on road, you could get yourself a brand new Audi Q3, or even a used premium sportscar. Nevertheless, the S1000RR is very much a fitting bike for an ex motorsport racer/ sport tourer/ superstar like Ajith Kumar.

-         Nova

Eccentrix Desk

Creativity is the language of the soul and there is no greater pain than having an untold story within you. So here we go, our writers open up their souls and bring out their best works for you to read and enjoy.

May 1^st was a very special day for tamil cinema fans all over the world, it was the Iconic “Thala” Mr.Ajith Kumar’s birthday. He is one of the finest human beings and an exceptional actor to graze the screen in Indian cinema. But, as we all know he shares a very close relationship with the beauties on wheels- “ahem” I mean automobiles. This week, Nova has written about this special relationship in tribute to the special man. Happy Birthday thala! 

Continuing the love/hormone talk from last week, N&N has given us a very beautifully written article about the dynamics of the mom-son and dad-daughter’s relationships. We all have gone through the ups and down of these relationships, but do we know all the intricacies about them? Unmask this week, has all the answers for you.

Psyche-Aware is back with an article that talks about the much-feared and frowned upon habit of all times, smoking and its harmful effects on our brain. It is far more complicated than one might think and is a definite read for everybody so that they can know what they are/ they might be getting into.

North Indian tours invariably have a package that consists of visiting the local palaces in Rajasthan and Jaipur. But, the Pink city is much much more. N&N describes the beauty of this city that she discovers on her day out in Jaipur. Dromomania this week, is a must read for everybody planning a tour to the northern part of our country.

Now that the election is winding down, the spotlight is back on th

e most-loved tournament of India - IPL.Vandhiyadevan brings you some quick stats about the game to keep your memory refreshed. Don’t forget to check Tragánisma Arithmoús.

Hope you like the work!

See you next week!

Team Eccentrix.

MOMMY’S BOYS AND DADDY’S GIRLS

Mothers hold their child’s hand for brief moment but their hearts for a lifetime! But..But..at times mothers hold on a little too longer than a moment. Why? How? The most probable answer that pops in our head is the big L word. Oh yes! L.O.V.E!! Fathers aren’t any lesser too. As they say “Any man can be a father..It takes a special someone to be a dad.” Some dads are extra special that they become super dads! So this week on UNMASK, lets unravel the mystery behind this special bond. 

            We are well aware of this theory that every girl wants to see her dad in the man she marries and every man wants to see his mother in the girl he ties knot with. But why is it so necessary for us to see our parents in the person of our dreams?? Doesn’t it shake you up a little?? Psychologically there is an explanation for this tendency. The reason as stated by scientists is that as young adults we tend to fancy the faces that we have looked at constantly through our childhood. And it invariably is Mom and Dad. This result kind of holds good in a lot of cases as it explains the Indian mentality of falling for their own cousins because they apparently have spent more time or admired their cousins. There is a stream of study which deals with Pheromones. This is one of the most researched topics among scientists these days.  Pheromones are well understood by most mammals as they possess VNO- vomeronasal organ in their nose. Well, let me put in English. Pheromone is nothing but a chemical factor secreted by us which causes the affinity we have to certain smells. The smell of our parents gives us a sense of warmth, love and security. This is exactly what an individual looks for in the opposite sex. However, one does not plan it and roam around with a smelly dress of his parents and matches it with every individual he or she comes across. These things happen involuntarily. And it is stated that an individual gets attracted to the scent of another individual who has an immune system different from his own. 

            Mommy’s boys are considered to be the Best husband materials. However, how much of the mommy potion in a guy is acceptable is the big question. A guy who is attached to his mother apparently looks at his wife through the same lens. So he tends to be more considerate and tries to keep his wife happy. And such relationships tend to last longer it is stated. The reason being a guy who is attached to his mother tends to develop more intimate and emotionally open relationships which is the most essential factor when it comes to a relationship. Men are generally enigmas who consider it their birth right to lock up their feelings. Mommy’s boys are more open about their emotions and hence making it easy to work out a relationship. The research reveals that men who had a strong love for their mothers also tended to date women who described them as 'their best friend'. And those who said they sought to 'make their mother proud' ranked high in terms of their ability to communicate with their partner. But, how often are these researches in synch with our real life conditions? Maybe 6 out 10! Nearly two-thirds of the professionally successful men questioned identified themselves as a man who "runs every life decision past his mother", and "takes her side over everyone else's". That only 18% of them thought a mummy's boy was someone who "likes to spend time with his mother" should in no way undermine your confidence in the usefulness of the results. Despite all these heart melting nice things said about mommy’s boys, most women show a big NO-NO to them. The reason is pretty obvious, ain’t it? A mommy’s boy expects unconditional love as a consolation. That’s not too much to ask for from your mother because a child tends to be her flesh and blood and she would be ready to do anything for you. However, from a wife you can expect unconditional love but not at the expense of throwing her own life away. This thought scares women and hence the NO NO! 

            As for the daughters, from infant to toddler to tween to teen its daddy all the way! The girl is a reflection of her father’s self esteem, confidence and most often her opinion about men. For a girl, her dad’s constant encouragement is the most needed boost. She happens to match this quality of her dad’s in the man of her dreams. It’s a father who teaches his daughter to love! Shocking! But this is the fact. It is a father who teaches a girl to love a man..but of course only a who treats her right. Again an involuntary action it is. Daughters will see what their dads believe about women by how they value and respect women, or by how they fail to do so. It is a dad or the first male care taker in your life who shape up the first model of how a relationship with a man should be. It is our parents who shape and paint our lens through which we look at the world at least in our growing years. A woman’s early relationship with dad, who is usually the first male object of her love, shapes her conscious and unconscious perceptions of what she can expect and what is acceptable in a romantic partner. 

            A child’s relationship with his or her parents in their early childhood is the lynchpin of her romantic life. This doesn’t mean that a child with troubled parents becomes a bad person. But it certainly influence their outlook on their preferences for a better half. So beware mommys and daddys your kids are watching you like hawks. 

            To form a doting amorous relationship with someone random person you meet on this weird planet is a challenge on its own. Not as challenging as Ted Mosby’s life I hope! It requires constant compromises and undeviating concern about the interests and well being of your better half. You cannot expect your girlfriend or boy friend or husband or wife to instantly vouch for you at all situations which invariably your mother or father can do. Eventually, love is love and all it takes is little or…. a little more than little time for an individual to step out of their maternal or paternal comfort and stand up for the one with whom they wish to share your life. It is certainly not too much to ask for! It is Love after all! Let’s embrace this Mother’s Day with this thought. 

Happy Mother’s Day!!!

-N&N

CIGARETTES – ONCE AND ALWAYS!

This week, in continuation to my previous post about “Alcohol and its effects on brain”, this time I am going to be talking about another social evil – Cigarettes. Anybody who is in India and a person who regularly visits a cinema theatre cannot possibly claim that they do not know the harmful effects of smoking on our health as well as the health of the people around us. But, those infomercials only talk about the effect of cigarettes on our physical health such as its role in causing cancer, lung diseases, strokes, etc. But , one fact that is always ignored or not given much importance is that Cigarette as it contains nicotine and other “drugs” has a profound effect on our brain which is ever lasting and takes a lot of pain to reverse. 

Whenever, we talk about cigarettes, we talk about how “addictive” they are and that how one puff taken due to peer pressure can lead you to become a slave to the habit. While people generally say these things in an offhand fashion, I think they don’t know how true their words are because this is exactly the most dangerous ingredient is cigarette acts. Let’s first get to know what exactly the term “addiction” signifies.

Addiction is a behavior that comes about in our physical or mental actions , when we need a particular act or object to function normally. Brain communicates with the rest of the body by means of neurotransmitters, that work like small chemicals carrying simple messages according to the command of the brain. They are like small locks and keys functioning to release and stop the secretion of appropriate hormones, in response to the various chemical and physical signals that generate in our nerve endings. For example, when somebody tickles you, it generates a signal in a nerve ending, and according to your brain structure, a particular receptor gets activated and a hormones like dopamine(pleasure) or adrenaline (excitement) gets released. Addiction is when, instead of the receptor our body needs another chemicals to release the hormone required.

So, coming back to nicotine, it makes one to be addictive towards cigarettes is by changing the way brain functions in such a way that without nicotine in our blood, the brain cannot carry out its functions properly. That is, in order to release the pleasure hormone dopamine, instead of the conventional receptor, the brain is sensitized to need nicotine to do so. 

Basically, whenever one takes a puff of cigarette, they inhale about 1-2 milligram of nicotine, which is in its free form and hence gets easily absorbed in our blood levels. The brain now has a large amount of nicotine, and due to which one experiences the presence of large amount of dopamine in one’s system leading to the feeling of being high. But, chain smokers after a while, get desensitized and start experiencing irritation, anxiety due to the cut of the hormone supply, which leads to the craving of one cigarette after the other. Once a huge amount of nicotine is mixed in the blood level, it starts imitating the responses one feels after getting the “kick” of adrenaline or dopamine, which leads them to feel that they are happy again. This is a psychological feeling, caused by the chemical tricking our senses.

It is generally very difficult to quit smoking because nicotine , due to its high concentration in the brain, becomes highly necessary for the brain to function even in a very normal and ordinary way and also , withdrawal of this chemical from the brain leads to a temporary shutdown of some parts of the brain leading to a highly disordered functioning the entire body.

Another note-worthy fact about the cigarette is that research is beginning to show that nicotine may not be the only harmful ingredient in cigarettes. Scientists can see the dramatic effect of cigarette smoking on the brain and are finding a marked decrease in the levels of monoamineoxidase (MAO), an enzyme responsible for breaking down dopamine. The change in MAO must be caused by some tobacco smoke ingredient other than nicotine, since nicotine itself does not dramatically alter MAO levels. The decrease in two forms of MAO, A and B, results in higher dopamine levels. The need to sustain the high dopamine levels results in the desire for repeated drug use.

The above mentioned affects are the one that occur when one starts smoking regularly and is addicted and the reasons behind it. But what happens to the brain structure, when you keep smoking and the nicotine level keeps increasing in your blood?

The result is that while the pleasure and excitement controlling areas in your brain remain highly active (sometimes more than required) throughout, the other areas that control cognitive functions, motor abilities, speech , etc keep declining and at the end, these areas become almost 20-40% less active than of the non-smokers at old age. Also, the earlier you start smoking, the more you become addicted and the more rapidly your brain ages. This eventually puts you at a higher risk of aging related diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, etc.

One of the highly feared disease that comes in old age is the one that completely addles your brain – dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers have found that chain smokers have a high difficulty in remembering names, events and also at associating memories properly with the real events. All these are indications of a high risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Though no research has yet confirmed the exact cause for dementia, smoking can definitely shorten the odds of you getting it.  

Bottom line is that you want to get out, get out soon before either your brain gives out or your body does, because then it would be too late to do anything except regret.

-Wanna-be-Savant