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You’ve probably heard of Net­flix. Or probably you hav­en’t. Well, either way, it’s a subscription-based service which offers online streaming of a library of films and television programs— sort of a modern-day rendition of cable TV. In the form of an app, Netflix is available on all forms of modern media—TV, laptop, and mobile. Have you heard about shows like ‘Stranger Things’, ‘House of Cards’, and ‘Black Mirror’, or ‘Sacred Games’ and ‘Selection Day’, but never saw them on TV? Because they’re on Netflix. The global popu­lar culture trend is going digital and Netflix is the number one medium to catch up with the entertainment world. It has a total of 125 million hours of content. From TV shows to documentaries to movies—they’ve got you covered.

In this article we explore how we can access the library of Netflix’s digital content from Nepal.

First thing to understand: Netflix is available in Nepal. It even has a specially curated library for Nepal so you’ll see new and old Bollywood flicks as recommendations. And yes, you don’t need to install fishy VPNs to access it. Go to Play Store/App Store, search for the app, and down­load it (or scan the QR code given in this article, above).

Second step is having an account. Netflix is a paid streaming service and as such, you will need an inter­national debit card, PayPal account or a credit card. However, for a month, you get to try the service for free. You can cancel your plan before your free month ends and you will not be charged a paisa.

If you don’t have an International card, you can also find Netflix cou­pons from local third party dealers who will help you pay your fees with a commission. You can find these companies all over Facebook.

After filling in your card details, lastly, fill in your personal infor­mation and Viola! But before you go using #NetflixAndChill without knowing the context, give it a quick Google search.

So cozy yourself up this weekend and stream away!

There is a new motorcycle on the roads of Nepal and it goes by the name of Cleveland CycleWerks, and yes, that is how you spell it. The company, with its headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, was started by Scott Colosimo and Jarrod Streng in 2009, even as all the manufactur­ing takes places in good ol’China. It may be new to Nepal but Cleve­land CycleWerks already sell their motorcycles in 23 countries globally. Currently featured in their roster are the Ace Scrambler, Misfit, FXR, and the Ace Deluxe. There is a potential for more additions in this lineup, which includes a possible custom bobber—quiet an exciting prospect for motorcycle enthusiasts in Nepal. At the moment, we have with us the Cleveland CycleWerks Ace Scrambler; and in this review we get to decide whether it leans more towards its American ret­ro-urban styling heritage or gives in to the shoddy make of its Chi­nese manufacturers. The new kid in the block has plenty to prove.

Design

Adopting a design styling that finds a balance between retro and urban, the Ace Scrambler, from afar, is a good-looking motorcycle. You do get a feel of the scrambler heritage that harks back to classic styling elements like the rounded fuel tanks with knee pads, low seat height, round head­lights, and classic muffler.

However, on closer inspection, you realize that the Ace Scrambler is not going to be winning any awards for quality build. The fit and finish is adequate at best. Sit on the saddle and the first thing that stick out like sore thumbs are the shoddy dual dials. It appears that the designers at Cleveland CycleWerks slipped a painted visiting card in place of the speedo dials and forgot to replace it before the motorcycles were rolled out for sales.

But if you can overlook these flaws the Ace Scrambler is a good motorcy­cle to look at and embodies the text book scrambler feel with elements like the seat upholstery, knobby tires, a circular tail light, and head­lamps. The Cleveland CycleWerks plate on the side is a nice touch. Massive single caliper discs up front give it a masculine appeal while the dual shocks in the rear maintain the classic appeal.

Performance

If you want to really get into the retro-urban feel, you can opt to kick-start the 229cc OHV single cylinder engine into life. You may not get a thundering rumble but you do get a decent enough noise to get things rolling. Clunk it into gear and it’ll bring all 15 horses in the engine to life, spurred on by 16Nm of torque. While you might not be clocking any lap records in the Ace Scrambler it is a fairly spirited motorcycle.

The suspension setup, though, was very soft and the Ace Scrambler bottomed out on intermediate to large road undulations. Slightly stiff­ening up the suspension could be a good idea.

Vibrations do tend to creep in at higher revs, and the knobby tires are not the best fit for the tarmac. They do, however, do a good job once you’re off the asphalt.

You don’t get a lot of fancy frills with Ace Scrambler, and on a scram­bler made for some roughhousing, it is not a gaping fault. It does mean that there is no ABS, but the 300 mm discs up front and the 210 mm discs in the rear do a good job of bringing the machine to a stop.

Overall, the Ace Scrambler is a mediocre motorcycle to get you around town and maybe for a short highway run. But you’re probably better off with something else if you plan on doing long hauls regularly.

Verdict

The Cleveland Cyclewerks Ace Scrambler is a head turner and will get you noticed on the roads. For young guns who want to get started on a motorcycle that looks good and will get you from one place to another, this machine gets the job done. We are certain fresh grad­uates looking to go abroad would find this a good mode of transport until they leave.

As a long-term companion though, it might not be the perfect partner. On the bright side, there is plenty of potential for modifications and personalization on the Cleveland Cyclewerks Ace Scrambler. Howev­er, because modifying your motor­cycles is against the laws of Nepal we cannot advise anyone to tweak these machines.

 Many things in your life and in your house have their own set of “Do It Yourself”workarounds that improve, repair and tweak your belongings to make your life easier. These hacks are usually cheap and will take only a little effort but they make your life so much more convenient. Cars on the other hand come with only a few DIYs, and today we will let you in on some of the best ones.

1. To fix a dent

Hitting another car almost always means a trip to the workshop.But what about that little ding from the mailbox, the garbage can, or the really inconvenient parking sign? Grab a pot of boiling hot water, a pair of rubber gloves so you don’t burn yourself, and another pot of cold water. Pour the hot water on the dent, and while it’s warm, reach from the inside and pop it out. Then, while it’s in the original shape, pour cold water so it quickly cools down. It will not work with serious body repairs, but it saves you a hefty labor charge to get even minor cosmetic flaws fixed.

2. To fix cracks and scratches

While nail polish is a cosmetic upgrade for a woman’s nails, it can do many, many things, and its clear variety is an amazing solve-all. Use clear nail polish to slow a crack in a windshield or window. Use clear nail polish on dings to prevent the area form rusting. If you manage to find a nail polish shade that (closely) matches your car’s paint job, it can work as less-expensive touch-up paint and hide scratches.

3. To remove coffee and other stains

We’ll start by saying, please avoid eating inside the car,especially liquid food as they tend to splash about as the car moves. But if you do drop your morning coffee and stain the seats, we’ve got a hack for you. Act fast because a fresh spill is a lot easier to clean up (and smells much better) than stale, dried coffee. Grab a paper towel, cloth, baby wipe or whatever you have handy and try to soak up as much as you can.Take one-third vinegar, two-thirds water and a few squirts of dish soap. You can also use a spray-on upholstery cleaner. Apply this solution to the stain and then rub gently with a clean sponge or dishtowel. Don’t skip this step! While you don’t want to completely soak the seat, rinse as well as you can. Keep blotting until no more brown coffee stains appear on the dishtowel or the cloth you’re using. Dry the wet seat with a hairdryer, set on low. If it’s a hot and sunny day, you may be able to get away with leaving your windows down.

4. To clean your windshield

Are your windshield and windows crusted and hazed over with dirt, gunk and bug guts? Keep a covered razor blade in your glove compartmentfor a quick means of dealing with noticeable blotches. If the razor blade is double edged then snap it in two because you might just cut your fingers. The real trick in using these things is to keep the work area wet (glass cleaner is the best, but water works too), to keep the angle small—as if you are trying to shave the glass, work in small areas—no broad streaks, and keep the blade flat, don’t use the corners.

5. To get better fuel economy

Well, we are paying high sums for our fuel.The tricks to squeeze the most distance out of your tank is thus always welcome. We’re not going to recommend shutting down your engine unless you’re stuck at Koteshowr during rush hour. But here are a few tips to save you some precious fuel:

• Track your mileage: You can’t tell if your efficiency efforts are working unless you’re keeping track. Try resetting the odometer every time you refill your tank, rather than trying to note and guess mileages individually.

• Leave lots of space ahead of you: This not only shows you paid attention during driving lessons, it also gives you more time to gradually slow down instead of slamming on your brakes and losing all your momentum. By leaving ample space between yourself and the car in front of you, there is enough time to coast to a stop and avoid stepping on the brakes.

• Avoid standing still with the engine running: Traffic lights are the biggest cause of this. If you see a red light in front of you, take your foot off the gas and let your car coast up to it. Sitting in traffic should also be avoided.

• Accelerate gradually, over a greater distance: The longer your take to achieve a speed, the less fuel it will require to get there. In many cars, using cruise control to slowly approach the desired speed will help regulate accelerations. Just avoid squashing the gas pedal like a bug.

Nepal last week banned the PlayerUnknown’s Battle­grounds (PUBG), a 16+ age-rated mobile battle royale multiplayer shooter game, following a court order. Rea­sons cited: its contribution to violence in children and their consequent lack of interest in stud­ies. And oh, apparently, ‘psychia­trists’ were consulted.

“Stupid decision obviously. Addic­tion? I blame the parents. There are dozens of similar games. What will the government do about them?” asks Nischal, 19, an IT student in Kathmadu. He says he’ll use a VPN or DNS to bypass the ban.

“I loved playing PUBG but I had my SEE as well. My parents guided me through the process and helped me concentrate on my studies,” says Sweksha, 17, a recent SEE graduate. “Parents give their small children smartphones, which is too early for their age. And obvi­ously there will be consequences,” she adds.

She recalls how the multiplay­er interactive game helped her become more social and open up to new people. “I made many new friends through the game. My friend Mayank, who’s from India, and Fais­al, who’s from Pakistan, really care about me,” she adds. She says the game has also helped them learn each other’s cultures.

“We’re just using our right to entertainment. Unless we’re doing something illegal, the government doesn’t have any right to interfere,” says a furious Pratyush, 18.

After reports of addiction to the game surfaced in India last month, Tencent, the company behind the game, started experi­menting with time restrictions on the game in the Indian market. Report­edly, they are planning to enforce a six-hour daily limit.

Video game addiction is a major health problem and should be tackled like any other addiction. While our government throws around the word addiction as a rationale for the ban, it completely overlooks the consequences for the ‘addicts’ in question.

Addiction isn’t treated cold turkey. A cigarette addiction is treated by slowly limiting the amount of cig­arettes or offering alternatives like e-cigarettes.

Why do I bring this point? Because, apparently, psychiatrists were con­sulted before banning the game. Were they qualified, I wonder?

How do we expect children to cope with their addiction by putting a blanket ban on their favorite pastime?

And like everything else, video game trends are dynamic. Today PUBG is big. Five years ago Candy crush was—and who knows about the future! There are already dozens of PUBG alternatives in the market right now. As the market for them grows, more games will sprout up. What will the government do then?

The only sure way to control vid­eo game addiction is to ban video games altogether. Just like the only way to solve road accidents is to make everyone walk on foot.