Honda with a diesel engine in India. Undoubtedly one of the most awaited cars of 2013.  Amaze will be the first car with a diesel engine from the Japanese manufacturer in India.

Honda has issued the prices for all variants of Amaze, the pricing for each is listed below.

1.2-litre Petrol

E: Rs 4.99 lakh

S: Rs 5.62 lakhEX: Rs 5.24 lakh

VX : Rs 6.60 lakh

S at: Rs 6.62 lakh

VX AT : Rs 7.50 lakh

1.5-litre Diesel

E Rs 5.99 lakh

EX: Rs 6.24 lakh

S: Rs 6.67 lakh

VX: Rs 7.60 lakh

With this pricing which is as close as it can get with the Maruti Suzuki Dzire we can definitely guess what Honda is trying to aim this time. Not only price, Amaze has all which can make it the best sedan in under 4 Meter category for Indian roads.

The Amaze is essentially a Brio with a boot. The neatly integrated design with lengthened wheelbase has helped car  with generous legroom and a fairly large boot.

The Amaze gets a choice of two engines. The 1.2-litre petrol engine from the Brio makes the same 88PS and promises to be a sprightly but economical performer. The highlight however is the all-new 1.5-litre diesel engine.

Honda also claims that the Amaze diesel will also be the most efficient car on sale in the country with a high 25.8kmpl quoted fuel efficiency. With all this and highly competitive pricing we can easily say good bye to all other cars in this category unless otherwise there is a major revamp from competitors or a huge price cut.

Of Pie got the first place!
Other nominations in the same category were :-

• Anna Karenina – Seamus McGarvey
• Django Unchained – Robert Richardson
• Life of Pi – Claudio Miranda
• Lincoln – Janusz Kamiński
• Skyfall – Roger Deakins

Yeah it’s True Christoph Waltz has been chosen for the Best Supporting Actor For the movie Django Unchained . He won the very first award for the evening  – from the last years’s winner of Academy record in the same category.

He was nominated with great actors like Alan , Robert De No, Tommy Lee Jones And Philip Hoffman. He got very emotional after receiving the award and thanked all his fellow actors and family He was nominated second time for the Oscars and this time he actually made it!

Way to go Christoph Waltz – Congratulations once again!

Nomination List for 5th edition of awards is as below. Ceremony for award distribution will held in coming month.

Like you all we are also waiting for the awards night and to see how many actual recipients of awards reach the venue. We saw in 2010 Abhishek Bachan came to  accept the Dara Singh Award for his attempt to speak with an American accent in Delhi 6.

Source: www.wikipedia.org

The ceremony is scheduled for February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. Seth MacFarlane will host the Academy Awards for the first time.

As this post is strictly for nominations for the awards we will discuss the same only. Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln has received highest numbers of nominations; 12, Whereas Ang Lee’s Life of a Pi is just one behind with 11 nominations.

Now race is to get the highest number of awards in this years ceremony.

List of nominations under each category :

Beginning with the 85th Academy Awards, the following changes to award categories took place:

1. The Academy Award for Best Art Direction has been renamed the Academy Award for Best Production Design, coinciding with the Art Directors Branch of AMPAS being renamed the Designers Branch.

2. The Academy Award for Best Makeup has been renamed the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Source: www.wikipedia.org

The Ford Fiesta has always been known as ‘the driver’s car’. This is because the handling is a pleasure, and the suspension is great. The shock absorbers take all impact and hardly anything is felt within. Even in large bumps or potholes, the sound is heard but the impact isn’t really felt inside. Also, the turning radius of the car is great, and it has practically no body roll during turns, because the centre of gravity of the vehicle has been lowered. The Electronic Power Assisted steering wheel only serves to augment the driving experience with smooth turning, and a good firm grasp.

The seats have a great feel, and your body will sink into them easily. The leg room in the back isn’t great, but you can get reasonable comfort for a six foot person driving, and a six foot person in the back seat.
Another feature that a lot of people say are useless is the voice activated command feature. I don’t think it is useless at all. It is a great help when you are driving to be able to control the air conditioning or the fan or the radio, without continuously looking down at the controls. Also, you can couple your phone to the car and pick up calls. Fiesta is a great buy.

With yet another Rape case in Delhi, a woman expresses her feelings with Babble360.

I have spent majority of my life in Delhi. The city is a huge influence in my life and has essentially shaped me to become the person I am today. Even though, I no longer live here, I still love every bit of it except one. The tag of being the “Crime Capital” or the “Most Unsafe place for women”. Every time a news report comes highlighting another atrocity against my gender committed in it’s confines my love for Delhi dies a little.

All my life, in some way or the other I have also experienced some form of harassment like all other women in Delhi. From the x-ray scan from men of every age, to the cat-calls on the street, to the unnecessary contact in public transport or the groping in crowded areas or the most inhuman crime Rape- Sexual harassment has become a part and parcel of the life of a Delhi girl. Worse still is the fact that we have become so used to it that no matter how irritated or annoyed we are, we have attained a nonchalant attitude towards it.

What I really want to understand however, is what goes through the mind of the perpetrators? What perverse pleasure do you get in hurting another human being so brutally. Doesn’t the thought that this poor girl will probably die a 100 deaths after this, ever cross your mind? What drives you to commit such a heinous crime?

Now as the media, the lawmakers and the politicians do a postmortem of the incident, we will hear hundreds of demands and theories. Some will say she asked for it – Oh really? Which girl “asks” for being on a ventilator fighting for life after being traumatized.

Some will say we know Delhi is unsafe, they shouldn’t have boarded a bus so late – Yes, the world is advancing day by day but womenfolk in Delhi for you its still the Bronze Age; do not step put of the hues after dark because men in Delhi are animals – They see you, well they can’t help but rape you! Some will demand capital punishment or chemical castration for the culprits – How will that help the poor girl who is scarred for life. Are these really the answers we are looking for? Do we need more laws or do we need better education?

To make Delhi a safer place, we need to change the mindset of the people. “Just because a girl is walking on the road does not mean a man has the right to pass lewd comments to her or just pick her up from the road. She is not a thing she is human.” This is the thought that has to be ingrained in the minds of men. At the same hand, we as women need to feel empowered not to take it silently. Raise your voice – whether you face any such situation or you see another girl being bothered. Every time a co-passenger tries to touch you in bus, shame him right then and there. Believe me he will never dare to repeat this again.

All said and done, I want to walk on the streets of Delhi unafraid, not worrying about the length of my dress or the time of the day. I do not want my mum to be anxious every time I take public transport. I do not want my dad to request me to be home before 11 every time I am out. I do not want my brother to walk on the outer side of the road to protect me from motorists going by. I don’t want to squirm when I am alone on a road every time I hear a man’s voice. I just want freedom from the fear…

This post is contributed by our Guest author Saumya Bhardwaj.
Saumya is a concerned Delhite and like all other women who are fighting for the right to live as she wants.
If you also wish to contribute for Babble360 : Mail us your original articles with your brief profile to babble360@gmail.com

Cultural Festivals

As the largest city of Manitoba (Canada), and justly called the “cultural cradle of Canada”, it hosts the Festival du Voyageur (Festival of the Traveler), a ten daylong celebration in the month of February, and is attended by 100,000 people annually. Also interesting is the Winnipeg Friendship Festival, with idiosyncratic cartoon characters. It was initially termed as “Winnie the Pooh” festival in honour of the bear Winnipeg, after having inspired a book and a movie. Commendable and worth attention are other important events such as Winnipeg French Theatre Festival held in July, featuring over 140 theatre companies and staging of a thousand plays, musicals, comedy and dance. Sad would be to miss The Folklorama which is officiated in August, a multicultural event encompassing an array of attractions ranging from food to theatrical performances.

Sports and Recreational Opportunities:

The city has an avid engagement with and enthusiasm for sports. It hosts hockey tournaments and is the native land to a host of worldly renowned teams. The list of in-house teams comprises of the Canadian Football Team League (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), the National Hockey League Team (Winnipeg Jets), and the American Baseball League Team (Winnipeg Goldeyes).

Winnipeg also marshalled a number of large-scale events namely the Canadian Country Music Awards, Juno Awards, Grey Cup and Tim Hortons Brier, which pay homage to the city’s outstanding abilities of coordination and management as a host.

Climate and Weather

A continental climate characterized by four distinct seasons, imparts Winnipeg with conditions favourable to all and every kind of traveler. Average temperatures range between -12 degrees Celsius (+10.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in the winter months to +26 degrees Celsius (+78.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in the summertime. Due to its northern location, Winnipeg has the highest amount of sunlight and the highest several days with clear skies amongst other Canadian cities. It witnesses about 51.4 centimetres (20.2 inches) of precipitation and snowfall each year.
Average temperatures by month in Winnipeg :

Month Average Low Average High

January           9° F / -23° C 10° F / -12° C
February         4° F / -20° C 16° F / -9° C
March               12° F / -11° C 30° F / -1° C
April                  28° F / -3° C 48° F / 9° C
May                    41° F / 5° C 66° F / 19° C
June                   50° F / 10° C 73° F / 23° C
July                     55° F / 13° C 79° F / 26° C
August                54° F / 12° C 77° F / 25° C
September         43° F / 6° C 66° F / 19° C
October                3 2° F / 0° C 52° F / 11° C
November          18° F / -8° C 32° F / 0° C
December           0°F / -18° C 16° F / -9° C

The ideal time to visit is July – August, when the temperature is moderate, with just the right amount of sunshine and the correct chill in the air.

Hotels and Lodging

Winnipeg furnishes 6,200 hotel rooms, out of which 2,600 are located in downtown. Lodging options include a gamut of choices – everything from chain hotels to quaint bed and breakfasts to low-cost options like hostels and universities.
However, for a delightful stay and comfortable travel experience, following hotels are recommended:

1. Place Louis Reil Suite Hotel, 190 Smith Street 
2.  Fort Gary Hotel, 222 Broadway
3.  Hilton Suites Winnipeg Airport, 1800 Wellington Avenue
4.  Radisson Hotel Winnipeg Downtown, 288 Portage Avenue
5.  Delta Winniepeg, 350 St. Mary Avenue
6.  Four Points Hotel South Winnipeg, 2935 Pembina Highway
7.  The Fairmont Winnipeg, 2 Lombard Place
8.  Humphry Inn and Suites Winnipeg, 260 Main Street
9.  Inn at the Forks, 75 Forks Market Road
10.  Comfort Inn Airport Winnipeg, 1770 Sargent Avenue

These are rated amongst the top 30 of the 57 hotels in Winnipeg, and are wont to ensure a delectable travelling interlude.

Major Attractions:

Winnipeg can boast of an entire panorama of exciting places to see and incredibly electrifying things to do. Offering a galore of site-seeing options, ranging from picturesque parks and urban forests, charming river promenades to pastoral picnics beneath the trees, the city becomes an ideal choice of holiday destination for people who love to do and explore. Once there, the itinerary should include the following:

1.  Adrenaline Adventures, 600 Caron Road- An adventure park, aptly named, with thrilling rides and a recently-launched
   cable snowboarding park. A treat for kids, and a pleasure for adults, the park is functional in summer and winter.
2.  Assiniboia Downs, 3975 Portage Avenue – For those with an itch for speed and a need for adventure, the horse racing tracks here offer a complete cathartic experience! With great entertainment and a lavish buffet, your day is sure to reach the highest levels of indulgence.
3.  Burton Cummings Theater, 364 Smith Street- A theatre for performing arts, an adequately spaced hall meant for providing the ultimate comfort while you enjoy your favorite band play or the treasured theatre group act.
4.  Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Perimeter Tours, The Forks- Ranked number one amongst the 55 major attractions in Winnipeg, the place is a revered historical site and is surrounded by shops with souvenirs on display, eateries and food stalls to give your taste buds the first stirrings of Canadian food. Live music and other regional band performances are a few embellishments to consider here.
5.  Celebrations Dinner Theater, 1824 Pembina Highway- Live performances and delicacies go hand in glove here, enjoy your food and a theatrical performance simultaneously. Renders quite bland the run-down popcorn-movie combination.
6. Apart from these, Winnipeg’s nightlife bespeaks of its metropolitan culture and urban underpinnings, the city is bustling with energy even in the wee hours of dawn, with people grooving to medleys and Dj-track songs, with a myriad of pubs and lounge bars promoting live bands and performances.

For a time of a lifetime, Winnipeg emerges as the new and upbeat choice of a vacation destination. With its warm culture, enthusiastic nerve for sports and leisure and its innate hospitality, the city offers the best travel experience ever. The range of options available for sight-seeing and the imperative things-to-do list makes it possible for the city to exhume an authentic Canadian zephyr.Be there!

As King of Indian Bollywood industry turns 47 today, one of his great admirer and guest author for Babble360 shares her views with us.

I was a wide-eyed 7 yr old when I first saw u…. Absolutely fell for your cute dimples and puppy dog eyes.
You defined friendship, love and romance for me. Whether you were the simpleton Raju, the Fauji, the Baazigar or the crazy obsessed lover going k-k-k-kiran, I just couldn’t take my eyes off you.

Arjun defined Revenge for me, Raj taught me what boyish charm was all about. And well you were the quintessential Lover Boy Rahul whom I fell in love with again and again and again

Shahrukh khan turns 47

I have loved you as Devdas and I have loved you as Don. I discovered how Ishq can be Kameena and Magical at the same time. I have cried buckets for Aman as he gives away his love to someone else.

I have admired you as a soldier, as a scientist, as a Hockey Coach and even as a Ghost.I forgave you even as the sycophant Rahul in Yes Boss and the infidel Dev in KANK

I loved you even as the Idiot Om or the pompous OK. I said “Khan” from epiglottis some million times and when the world was panning you for Ra1 I was busy looking for cute G1 toys.

I have hung onto every word you have you said in your interviews. I have gushed at your pics with fellow admirers. I have picked up fights and arguments for you.I have spent sleepless nights before and after watching your movies. I have seen a DDLJ with same excitement and gusto as I have seen a Guddu or a Chamatkaar.

20 years on, my love just grows…. And I await the release of Jab Tak Hain Jaan with same zeal as I waited for a DTPH or a KKHH

Happy Birthday Shahrukh…. You have and will always remain my first Love!!!

This post is contributed by our Guest author Saumya Bhardwaj.
Saumya is an avid reader and writer. She is Bollywood enthusiast and crazy about Sharukh. She works in India based MNC as consultant and her favorite pass time is to dance and watch sit-coms like Friends.
If you also wish to contribute for Babble360 : Mail us your original articles with your brief profile to babble360@gmail.com

Brandon Fernandes, future and face of Indian football who is in news in India for about a month now has been confirmed to be under negotiations with Reading FC, an English professional football club, based in Reading, that plays in the Premier League.

Though it was rumored all across the net yesterday that Brandon has secured a confirm offer from Reading FC of value $1 million (Approx 5.4 Crores INR) for joining the premier league club, But Fernandes’ representatives denied receiving any offer from Reading FC.

As per Indian Football Network, ASD Cape Town marketing manager Susanna Steptoe, in an email communication confirms that the deal between Reading FC and ASD Cape Town regarding transfer of Brandon Fernandes is still under negotiations. “Reports that Reading Football Club have made a concrete offer for Brandon Fernandes are completely untrue.” He added “There might be negotiations taking place and false reportings regarding the deal may compromise it.”

Brandon’s father Jaju back here in India also denied any confirm offer from the club. He said he is in constant touch with Brandon and his manager from ASD but none has informed him about any such offer.

Goan born midfielder undergone a 15 days trial earlier with Reading in mid-October and was confident of done well in his trials. Former Saogoankar was trained with Reading under 21 team and played a game behind closed doors and performed really well, he assisted in two out of three goals that his team scored. The 19-year-old Fernandes is currently trialing with English Championship club Leicester City, who have also been impressed with the Indian’s skills.

Fernandes moved out of India at nascent age of 16 and started playing for African Soccer Development (ASD) Cape Town, a South African Sports Academy, and is in contract with ASD currently. If successfully completed, Brandon’s deal would be biggest in Indian football history ever, surpassing even the likes of Baichung Bhutia, who played for Bury FC and Sunil Chettri, who currently plays for Sporting Lisbon’s ‘B’ team.

Before Brandon there are five other Indian Players who have tasted Europeon Football, Baichung Bhutia, Sunil Chettri, Mehtab Hussain, Subrata Paul and Gurdeep Singh Sandhu played or trialed for one or more European clubs.

Leicester and Reading are not the first teams to have been impressed by Fernandes’ potential , Four years Back in 2008 Brandon  impressed scouts at a Manchester United Soccer Skills tournament also and came to limelight even at that time. Also he is no stranger to Indian national team, he has represented India at U-13, U-16, U-17 and U-19 levels playing as an attacking midfielder.

There are stringent rules to get work permit for UK to play football and as you must have played 75% of matches you were available for your country in last two years or your Nations ranking to be in top 70. In Brandon’s case neither is applicable, still he might be able to play in UK because of his origin as Portuguese based on which he can play freely in European countries including UK. We are sure all these things will be taken care of once final offer for Brandon is out from Reading or Leicester FC.

Once the final contract is signed all will depend on Brandon how he will maintain his fitness and skills to match European levels of football. Of course Brandon has proved his potential in past while playing for ASD and performing consistently in last two years. From an Indian’s point of view, we can only hope for his success to bring closer attention to Indian footballers.