Peace Ride 2007: Upcoming Event

Peace Ride: BombayBikers.com

30 September 2007
In celebration of Gandhi Jayanti (October 2nd)

Bombay Bikers has completed just over one year riding the roads of Free India in the expanded freedom of Motorcycles. As we meet many youthful riders and a diverse demography of citizens in our trips, we wanted to add the element of a ‘distinguished purpose’ to our rides. As is, we ride to see the beauty of our vast culture and geography. But then why stop there when we can ride further into the mind-space of our fellow Indians.

Peace Ride 2007 is our effort to bring to focus the invaluable cause of truth, justice, human rights and non-violence as propounded by our greatest of leaders during India’s Freedom struggle. The voice that still echoes across schools and villages is of course of Mahatma Gandhi and his eternal, devout and memorable message of peace and brotherhood for all mankind. It will be our endeavour to reach out to our busy workaholic nationals and inform them about their basic human rights and privileges as covered by the Constitution and Laws.

Bombay Bikers will be riding with support for ‘Save India Family Foundation’ (http://www.saveindianfamily.org/) across Mumbai streets. Save India Family Foundation is a pioneer in informing and assisting people who are victims of misuse of legal procedures. The Foundation aims to help victims get justice by applying the legal process as it should be and not how it could be as done by miscreants who find loopholes to forward their vindictive agenda. In celebration of Gandhi Jayanti, Bombay Bikers will spread this NGO’s scope and purpose with the Peace Ride. If you are one of the many people who have been victimised by legal wrangling without having done anything remotely illegal, meet us at our ride co-ordinates and get informed.

Ride Co-ordinate (Route):
Bandra Reclamation >> Worli >> Chowpatty >> Marine Line >> Nariman Point >> CST >> Mohammad Ali Road Fly over >> Kings Cricle >> Sion >> Bandra Reclamation

....::::Jai Hind::::....

Eternal Voice of Truth and Peace: Approaching Gandhi Jayanti

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”

The father of nation spoke timeless wisdom for generations of Indians and the world to follow and apply in their daily lives. National celebrations such as our beloved Independence Day help us revisit our rich history and learn anew the lessons imparted for guiding a civilisation.

In this new found rage of ‘Gandhi-giri’, we should know very well the determined words of the most well-known freedom fighter and incorporate his preaching in our lifestyle. With world trembling at violent attacks and chaos in politics and trade, gentle words from a humble man tells us in a unique voice the key to building a progressive nation. It is not that we don’t try our level best at being successful; it is that we give up trying when we fail. Diligence and skills is not enough, but the will power to surge ahead when the tides have turned that decides a nation’s fate.

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.”

To err is human. But learning from mistakes made and pulling ourselves from the bootstraps to start again, converting odds to opportunities, that is what helps us in achieving unparalleled success. We have the resources, rich and diverse, in this largest democracy. Why then worry about follies when we can work on future?

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

Be a leader among the flock of sheep that herd blindly in cowardice. Be strong enough to learn from mistakes and find the way to look beyond the incapacities of man. Forgiveness does not change events of past but creates harmonies for future growth and development.

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”

When we talk of change we have the poor tendency to look outside ourselves for faults. Change comes by example. When you want to improve a society, you have to begin somewhere; let that point of flux be you. When you live the change you want to see, you inspire others to learn by illustration.

“Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.”

A look at the vast lands and oceans, a glance at the splendid sky, a peek of our planet’s millennial history, will tell us how trivial we are as individuals in the scheme of things. But every drop matters in the sea of change. It is important that you make the effort and look forward to a movement, nay, a revolution of people to overthrow limitations of bygone era and break ahead towards unhindered progress.

Creativity in Promotion & Sales

Is it a wonder that Advertising industry is so big and profitable? The only way to get through the clutter of transmissions and array of products & services is presentation of your big idea. Creativity is profitable in Marketing most prominently and promptly if at anything else. Getting your word out, having your say, briefly and then hooking the prospect, reeling him in and the Ka-Ching of the sales register.

Print ads have evolved to accept multimedia functions with colours and graphics making up for limitations of 2 dimensions. TV ads have budgets of small indie films for selling fast cars or the superb shampoo. Radio knows what sounds make noise on air. Even movie trailers have professionals working on it to make it as attractive as the actual movie.

Among these popular and mainstream forms of advertising appears to thrive several websites on the world wide web that hold attention, get the clicks and pocket eyeballs regularly. So when there are literally millions of websites around, how can you make yours stand out. Where technology churns out standard fare, creativity uses basic functions of the internet to produce a unique and addictive recipe for sales.

Here is a website that promotes a book - an award-winning book now after winning the world's richest short story award - the 2007 Frank O'Connor Award.

http://noonebelongsheremorethanyou.com/

Here is a good introduction to the author who is an award winning film-maker and whose parents were writers themselves.

Miranda July of Cannes and Sundance fame


Do you have similar Creative websites that hold your attention to get their word in your head? Share it here.

Hard Boiled Noir Fiction

I am looking forward to reading my Signed Copy of The Favor by Mark SaFranko. He is a living genius, in obscurity, due to the pathetic state of Publishing Industry.

If you like core hard boiled cult noir Fiction, words fail me here, this is the only living author who can feed your greed.

http://www.murderslim.com/marksafranko.html

His latest book Hating Olivia will also be with me soon, courtesy the generosity of this man who is gifting it to me along with my signed numbered copy of his first book. There is more than fan appreciation or gratitude I am presenting here. This is an example of decadence in modern literature. Proof of degeneration and desertion of Literary brilliance.

Download First Chapter of HATING OLIVIA

There are many such examples of Authors and Works forgotten but another Author whose books I am trying to hunt down is Donald Hamilton of Matt Helm fame. He passed away some time ago and his brilliant novels, parodied in Dean Martin movies, are now OUT OF PRINT. Sad but true. In a ridiculous publishing world that hard sells Teenage Adventures of a teenaged James Bond we can't buy retail a classic and infinitely true Spy Fiction of Hamilton.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Hamilton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Helm


Here is though a great introduction to the Genius Long Overdue for Recognition on Guardian UK.


I contacted Mr Mark by email and he is a great guy and very generous.

I look forward to more news of him on the media circuit.

Guardian website has always revealed to me lesser known but better authors and I am glad they made this post.

Mr. Mark's exact words were: "...and please keep in touch."
I got goosebumps.

I remember I could not find Haruki Murakami's fiction anywhere in Bombay (now Mumbai) bookstores and I kept demanding one from my Bookstall http://www.strandbookstall.com/store/ and now I see Mr. Murakami's books everywhere. (I would like to think I did it but who knows how it came about). I found Murakami right on Guardian first.

I hope I can do this to Mr. Mark as well .

Read a great short story of Mr Mark SaFranko right here online. The Laughter of the Clown.

Do you know any other such Author beaten down by publishers ignorance / arrogance. Post it right here.

Bill Gates goes to school

FROM a forwarded email - probably true but not sure, good advice either ways.

Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept sets them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1 : Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Bob Dylan goes to school

Having been smitten and seduced by Bob Dylan's eloquent, descriptive and passionate music since college days, it is not surprising to know now that these intense lyrics will be taught in schools soon. I sure hope this catches on as the music will outlive any of the many myths and legends about the God-like authority - Dylan himself. If Dylan sold his dirt, I would wait in line to buy it; I am that obsessed with the man and his word.

Recently I got hold of Martin Scorsese documentary ‘No Direction Home’ which tracks through the early life and influences of Bob Dylan in a very exhaustive manner. I am spellbound by his range in poetry and his reach from the 60’s to the 21st century audience. It is but obvious that he is a genius, but his humility (as seen on the DVD), referencing himself as ‘a song and dance man’ further proves that he is essentially an artist and has no other agenda.

I am also now eagerly awaiting the motion picture on Dylan ‘I'm not there’ in which Cate Blanchett is the star attraction playing the role of the reclusive Folk singer.

Whether he sings about politics, religion, romance, society or people, Dylan has always touched his herd. The herd not only follows this leader but incorporates into its consciousness that the now old man is still fighting the establishment, still voicing the generations and still speaking solely to the individuals. He continues to revolutionise folk and rock and churn out new ground breaking albums from the comeback album – Time Out of Mind, to the recent Modern Times.

Sharing here links to my favourite Dylan songs:
My all time favourite: Mr. Tambourine Man
Favourite Dylan Love Song: Lay, Lady, Lay
Sheer Pleasure in solitude: Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
My Depression Drug: Things Have Changed

Peace and Love :-)

Trip on Bike India Mag

My Trip with Bombay Bikers to Trambakeshwar on Independence Day was published in Bike India Magazine September 2007 issue - page 34

Also in the magazine is Gaurav Jani of 60KPH - riding solo fame. I wish I had sent Bike India that article since I had done it long time back and published on Bikernet.com

Solo Ride - Romancing the Roads


Check it out !!!