Freeware 2013 - Whats changed 5 years down the line?

Quite a lot
Microsoft has a top class freeware- Microsoft Security Essentials. Spartan interface, excellent integration, good detection rates.
After loving Spybot S&D, Super antispyware, I have settled for Malwarebytes anti-malware.S&D is too heavy, SAS selects all cookies by default making you feel good without doing anything, MAM is light and nice.
Calibre a wonderful ebook management software- damn nice, ideal for epub, mobi, lit formats. Can read even more.
PDF-XChange viewer, a really classy pdf reader far better than Adobe Acrobat(a fat piece of bloatware if any) and even slightly better than Foxit reader.
Sumatra pdf reader because sometimes simple is better, it can read djvu files too, which not many readers can.
I have switched to Glary utilities , Ccleaner is brighter but this has more feature and seems to be slightly safer.
I still use CDBurnerXP as my disc writing software of choice.(rarely though)
Doublekiller is my choice for duplicate finder- small, reasonably accurate simple to use.
I still love utorrent it has got the best feature but then I switched over to qbittorrent - less features but it simply works.
Picassa has its pluses and minuses but is good for Loading and archiving photos and is must have.
I also use Faststone image viewer for minor manipulation, as the name says it is faster, more intuitive and simpler. Fotosketcher is a beautiful piece of software- it gives beautiful painting/sketch like effects.
MediaMonkey player is still my player of choice. It has limitations- can't play .m4a files, had bloated with video support, but rest of it is real easy. Have installed Musicbee but I use it only for .m4a files, it is not as intuitive as the monkey. AIMP-stopped using it sometime ago.
Some things remain the same.
Launchy it's still a great launcher,
Tera copy is still a great file copy/move tool

I drove Mahindra Quanto

My search for a perfect suitable 4 wheeler took me to a Mahindra show room.
I had read pretty good things about the vehicle - powerful engine, spacious, solidly built -most importantly Value for Money.
I first had the test car driver drive it with me in the pillion and then drove it for a short distance through typical crowded city.
My impressions:-
Plus

• Okay Looking,
• Well equipped,
• Seats are comfy, 
• Powerful engine (I really liked the engine),
• Well chosen gear ratios for the city.
• Decent mileage
• Great price for a diesel vehicle

Minus

• Space isn't all that it is made out to be (but then I am fat)
• Heavy beyond its dimensions (for the size and target roads-city)
• Horrendous ride, especially on the rear seat, as if....... you got to experience it to understand it.....wobbly/springy woozy.....I mean the kind that would make you dizzy (my wife would probably vomit while on a hill drive).

Overall
The ride is an absolute dealbraker even at seemingly logical VFM pricepoint

Fear is friend

Fear is friend, for it teaches you caution, drives away carelessness and keeps you alert...

Today was Saturday (I wrote the initial post on 04/08/12 ) and I intended to do my Madcow Friday workout, which I skipped yesterday in favor of light cardio ,due to the Injury which I idiotically sustained while doing Deadlifts on Wednesday.

Even today I could feel tinge of pain and stiffness in my back and even the thought of Squatting 107.5 kg, Benching 100 kg and Rowing 67.5 kg for 3 reps in the working set seemed pretty difficult, In fact at a point I felt like taking the whole week off.

So you can well imagine my apprehensions when I cautiously went under the bar for squats... 5 x 52.5 kg, 5 x 65 kg, easy no pain....5 x 80 kg needed quite an effort - reintroducing caution, ...5 x 92.5 kg....my form was poor and I had to step forward..

Working set.. - I was scared, 107.5 kg - 1 down & up , 2... and 3.... I racked the bar happy and relieved...

While lying on the bench I lay down very gingerly and was very careful to avoid arching/straining my back (a very wise move). Bench press I combined (almost) 1st and 2nd warm up set and instead did 8 x 60 kg, 5x 72.5 kg , 5 x 85 kg,  3x 100 kg and then dropped to 8 x 72.5 kg.

I supersetted chin-ups with dips...am still stuck at 3,4,4 and 8,8,8. Need to get them to double figures.

Did one leg dumbell calf raises for the first time,.. deceptively beautiful exercise.. I exhausted my calves faster with a 15 kg dumbell than with 100 kg on a Smith machine..

 On Wednesday I was careless, today I was cautious and I fared the better for it...

Gods have been kind...

Finally got a 20 kg ketttlebell

I had read about kettlebell training on the net, and had been trying to get my hands on a kettlebell for about two years now, I tried swings with 20 kg PVC coated plates and these were fun....

After searching and searching online and in sport stores I finally got my first Kettlebell through ebay.in , (the seller on ebay is golfshopindia, the ebay-shop of Bhaseen sports Jallandhar) link . (these weren't available in India earlier). It is worth every penny.

Though I have done ballistic training earlier with home made Chishi and swing with 20 kg plates, I really enjoy kettlebell swings, cleans and presses. I am trying snatches, still learning the technique; I shall avoid any complicated exercises like bent twist/presses.

Sometimes I feel I could have handled the 24 kg version well..or this could be my ego speaking, this primarily so because kettlebells are ideal for high rep ballistic training, less so for 1 rep records and believe me trying Tabata routine with 20 kg kettle bell swings is something.

I do weight training thrice a week and  on two of my rest days I do the following program ( balance two days I am too tired to lift any thing else so I rest)

•    Left hand Kettlebell Swing - 10,          Pushup 1,    - Catch my breath
  Right hand Kettlebell Swing - 10,          Pushup 2
•    Left hand Kettlebell Swing - 10,          Pushup 3
  Right hand Kettlebell Swing - 10,          Pushup 4
•   Left hand Kettlebell Swing - 10,          Pushup 5
  Right hand Kettlebell Swing - 10,          Pushup 6
•   Left hand Kettlebell Swing - 10,           Pushup 7
  Right hand Kettlebell Swing - 10,          Pushup 8
•   Left hand Kettlebell Swing - 10,           Pushup 9
• Right hand Kettlebell Swing - 10,          Pushup 10

 These give me 100 swings and 55 pushups, Occasionally if I feel my arms are tired I reduce the number of pushups to 15 (My arms get enough workout from weight training, and pushups are more for the effort of getting to and up from ground) - i.e.

• Left hand Kettlebell Swing - 10,  Right hand Kettlebell Swing - 10, Pushup 1,    
• Left hand Kettlebell Swing - 10,  Right hand Kettlebell Swing - 10, Pushup 2,   
• Left hand Kettlebell Swing - 10,  Right hand Kettlebell Swing - 10, Pushup 3,    
• Left hand Kettlebell Swing - 10,  Right hand Kettlebell Swing - 10, Pushup 4,   
• Left hand Kettlebell Swing - 10,  Right hand Kettlebell Swing - 10, Pushup 5,   

I follow up swings with Kettlebell cleans for 3 sets of 10 reps with each arm, I don't do   any presses at the moment, I'll incorporate them only if for some reason I unable to go to the gym.

I finish of with Kettlebell snatches 2-3  of 10 reps each with each arm...

I intend to incorporate Turkish Get-ups , a form of moving plank exercise as soon as I get my form and strength up...

I rarely do Tabata intervals....am too lazy

Overall VFM and great fun............These exercise are fun and require less mental discipline and motivation than Proper (key word) Body-weight or Free Weight Training.
Before you ask, No , I have not lost 100 pounds or even 10 with these but my fitness level is improving day by day.....

I love the Barbell - Squats , Press, Row, Deadlift
but I am finally sold on to Kettlebells as supplementary tool if doing weight training and main tool if Gym with free weights is not available/feasible.
 Anybody working out these days or fighting fat like me ?