Saturday, August 3, 2013

Let's Do The News! (August 3, 2013)

(cheers and applause)

Jeremy: I maybe the first person in history to call this episode "mathematical".

James: Yeah. That would be a mistake.

Jeremy: Yeah. I'm delighted.

(cheers and applause continues)

James: Anyway. Let me guess this correctly. About Gravity Falls. It feels like Adventure Time because of the weird stuff going on around here.

Jeremy: Yes. Weird stuff coming out per episode. It just feels so "mathematical".

James: Okay, it's about as exciting to watch as Adventure Time.

Jeremy: Yup.

James: Definitely. And oh...I can see your mouth wide open when you see how tonight's episode ended.

Jeremy: Yes it is. Just.

James: Yeah but you know what? I just don't get it why Mabel's grappling hook just made a comeback on that episode.

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Yeah. Indeed. Mabel's grappling hook made a big comeback because the fans loved it. Anyway, here it is. Look...

Mabel's Grappling Hook!!!

Jeremy: Guess even the hardened of agents or adventurers are taking a hit now because it seems that Mabel's grappling hook was proven to be beneficial after all. It goes to show that in times of crisis like for instance when your nemesis took over your establishment, this is the one gadget to use.

James: Oh. I see? Well you know what? I just want that grappling hook.

Jeremy: Yeah. Particularly, I want the one from Just Cause because it has a grenade launcher on it.

(audience laughing)

James: Anyway, while we're watching that, I'd just picked up from my homies that they just saw a teaser trailer from the upcoming third series of BBC Sherlock. Guess everyone's in the talk right now.

Jeremy: Well, you know what. I'll pass.

(audience laughing)

James: Hey, wait. Aren't we doing the news now?

Richard: Right the news and while the boys got salivated over the cracking season finale, big news because come Sunday at 7:00pm BST on BBC One, there's a special live event going on because on that fateful day, BBC will announce, and this question gave me jitters...

(audience laughing)

Richard:..."who will be number 12?"

Jeremy: Who will be number 12? Does that mean, who will be Doctor Who number 12?

James: Yeah, are they going to announce who will be the 12th Doctor this Sunday evening in Britain?

Richard: That's right and that's not all. It will be a worldwide simulcast so that the whole world will know who will be the 12th Doctor. Are you ready?

(audience yelling: YES!)

Jeremy: Well, guess I'm not be going.

James: Me too.

(audience laughing)

Richard: Well. Okay. Fine. If you don't want to know who is the 12th Doctor, then you'll not going to ask him to take a spin on our reasonably priced car, the Vauxhall Astra Tech Line.

(audience laughing)

(phone vibrating)

Richard: Oh! There goes my phone! I wonder what's going on? Oh!

James: What is it?

Richard: Says here...um...ah...never mind. Just those e-mail reset rubbishness.

(audience laughing)

Richard: Can't believe that these spam mails keep on getting me all the time. I always don't respond to those because they're spam but...why?

Jeremy: I dunno!

(audience laughing)

James: Japan now has a new taxi and here it is. Look...

Nissan NV200 Vanette Taxi LPG Bifuel

James: This is the Nissan NV200 Vanette Taxi. It's based on the NV200 minivan which I think to be it's one of the most rubbish vans I have ever seen in my life because it's cheap...

(audience laughing)

James: ...this one has a 1.6L LPG BiFuel engine, seats five people, and available for taxi operators at the starting price of 3,229,000 Japanese Yen.

Jeremy: LPG you say? LPG? Can you run a car in LPG?

Richard: Well, yeah. There are some cars that runs on LPG. South Korea sells some of those cars powered in LPG such as the Carens, the Spark, the Orlando, well I don't know the others but word of warning however that LPG-powered cars are less powerful and thirstier. Well, that's my theory.

Jeremy: Well, Richard. I guess you're statement can be either true or not because...oh yeah! LPG cars are less powerful and thirstier. However, we're not going to press the issue about fuel economies, eh?

(audience laughing)

Richard: Anyway, for the 2014 season, the Pirelli World Challenge will see an arrival of FIA GT3 cars. The likes of the Audi R8 LMS, Mercedes SLS AMG GT3, and BMW Z4 GT3, will now be part of the Pirelli World Challenge next year. How's that update satisfy you?

(murmuring)
Jeremy: I had no interest on that. Sorry.

(audience laughing)

James: Me too. I don't had any interest on that kind of racing. We're only interest in high-profile names such as Formula One, WRC, and others. Speaking of F1. Anyone heard what would the sound of the V6 turbo engine that will serve as the basis for next year's season? Well, Mercedes-Benz was ready for next year's.

Jeremy: Really?

James: Want an audio sample? Here...



(applause)

James: Impressive though. I like it. Not a lot but I like it.

Jeremy: Anyway, last week, we just tackled more about Lambo's Sesto Elemento racer, which is the carbon-clad Lamborghini we got interested to. What seems unnoticed that there was some guy in Kyrgyzstan just made a replica of the Sesto in the shed. Here's the clip.



Jeremy: Interesting though. Someone sure knows how to make a replica of the Sesto Elemento out of some banger.

(audience laughing)

James: Anyway, end of the news. And in case you noticed. Voting for the best Sponge Shorts for the SpongeBob SquareShorts Original Fan Tribute contest was ended. But you can still watch some of the fan made shorts in tribute for SpongeBob SquarePants. Like for instance...

In the UNDER 18 category:
1) The Krabby Commercial by David in the USA
2) The Silver Screen by Matthew in UK
3) Get Out of Here! by David in the USA
4) SpongeBob Jellyfish Catcher by Alessio in Switzerland
5) The Krabby Patty Formula Music Video by Keith in USA

In the 18 AND OVER category:
1) Finally Home by Nicole in South Africa
2) The Interview by Brett in the USA
3) Diligence by Joshua in the USA
4) SpongeBob-Alter Krabbenburger by Jurgen in Germany
5) SpongeBob My Best Friend by Arisdagues in Mexico.

Anyway, the winning short video will be announced this August 9, 2013. Which video will win? Find out!

"Ano ang feeling 'pag 'di regular mag-go?"

On the August 2, 2013 episode of Bubble Gang:

- Electric post gags

- What they're doing in a bed...is like a movie performance!

- The Adventures of Ruffa Mae Kwento in...LAYOFFS!

- Phil Ing. Remembering good times since high school can be a mess.

- Ano ang feeling 'pag 'di regular mag-go? Bubble Gang does Nestle Acti-V Yogurt by spoofing this commercial as BESTLE ACTING-VI. Helps regulate bowel movement.

Bubble Gang does Nestle Acti-V!

- Batang Titiw...sorry. Just the T-defect. Someone's had a T-defect.

- Tata Lino provides help to everyone who meets him.

- What would you do when someone's missing in the blowout and who will pay for the treats? We get away!

- Boss has forgotten his pants for work...

- The Adventures of Ruffa Mae Kwento in...PSYCHIATRIST!

- Balitapat, giving news reports that...nothing's changed! Nothing!

Phil Vicedo

Stephen Garcia

Gina Padilla

Lani Mallari

- The highlights of BAGONG GANG. For this highlight, Team A (Roehl Mendoza, Junacho Trivino, Nicole Borgonia, Joyce Ching, and Jan Manual) and Team B (Arny Ross, Denise Barbacena, Abel Estanislao, RJ Padilla, and Maricris Garcia) are undergoing some kind of drama-style sketch to see how performing these recruits are. Coming soon, we'll find out who's the underperformer...

Cars GT6 Should Put (Volume 3)



Everyone knows that more and more car gamers everywhere are willing to prefer the upcoming Gran Turismo 6, coming this winter exclusively on the Playstation3 console, than the upcoming Forza Motorsport 5, coming this autumn exclusively on the new XBOX One console. However, despite the 1200-car lineup, there are some cars GT6 should put...

Cars like...

1) RUF Rt35 '12

Why: Because of EA restrictions, no Porsches are allowed to be here except the Need For Speed franchise. That's why the committee picked RUF. Some people say that RUF is a tuner for all things Porsche but it is a manufacturer of its own right. They even built the legendary CTR Yellowbird which garnered much praise and attention in the motoring world. That rings me, how come they never add just one new RUF here? Maybe this special Rt35 would do the trick.

Built to celebrate RUF's 35th anniversary, the special Rt35 was launched at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, and it's based on the latest 991 Porsche 911 but with added turbos to develop 621HP of power and a 205mph top speed. I sure hope GT6 should feature this special machine that what makes RUF special


2) Vauxhall Astra Tech Line '13

WHY: Starting Season 20 of Top Gear, the Vauxhall Astra Tech Line (with Lifetime Warranty) served as the new reasonably priced car for the show, replacing the first-generation Kia Cee-Apostrophe-D. Oh come on. Back in GT5, you didn't feature reasonably priced cars, whereas the rival Forza Motorsport 4 game has the Cee'd and the Liana. 

Come on, GT6, you have to feature this new reasonably priced car because it's what we, Top Gear fans, want.



3) Toyota Crown Athlete S '12

WHY: Last December 2012, Toyota launched the 14th generation Toyota Crown and the Crown I was interested on, not the hybrid one, but the Athlete one with the 3.5L V6 engine and the 8-speed automatic gearbox. Although, I don't like the new model's weird look, I just wanna see this car showed up in GT6 anyway and if it does, this is probably one of the executive saloons I'm looking forward to, just in case I wanna compare it to the TOM'S Chaser and the old Toyota Aristo models.


4) Lexus IS 350 F-Sport '13

WHY: There's a new generation Lexus IS out there and even though it still has an even weirder look than the new Toyota Crown, I still want to see this car to be in Gran Turismo 6 no matter what. The one I'm interested in was the IS 350 F-Sport model. Like the Crown Athlete, it comes with a 3.5L V6 engine mated with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. I wanna compare this one to the new Crown Athlete just in case both of these showed up in Gran Turismo 6.


5) Renaultsport Clio 200 EDC '13

WHY: Despite being double-clutch only and five-door only, the new Renaultsport Clio is just one of the most anticipated hot hatches of 2013. In terms of handling, the new Clio sure behaves like a spartan and you don't need to be an expert to master this kind of hot hatch. I really want Gran Turismo 6 to feature this hot Clio for the heck of it.


The results please? So, if Polyphony's still on the rethinking process whether these cars I've mentioned will be featured on Gran Turismo 6, whether in game or as a DLC, you can't say that I didn't had a bit to do with that.

Take that to Kaz Yamauchi!

Threats from North Korea - A Week in Review (August 3, 2013)


And now, the week in review of what's what at the Korean peninsula...

July 29, 2013

- North Korea did not give an answer on Monday to what the South calls its final proposal for talks regarding the normalization of the Kaesong Complex.

July 30, 2013

- South Korea and the US started up the 4th Korea-US Integrated Defense Dialogue in Seoul.

July 31, 2013

- South Korea awaits North Korea's response for the last offer for talks on reopening the Kaesong Complex for a second straight day.

- US Forces Korea chief nominee says OPCON transfer needed in 2015

- South Korean civic groups start sending humanitarian
aid to North Korea.

- More weapons found aboard seized North Korean ship in Panama.

August 1, 2013

- Rival parties still wrangling over who will be on the witness list for the special parliamentary probe looking into whether the nation's spy agency meddled in last year's presidential election.

- State prosecutors summoned former tax office chief Jeon Goon-pyo for allegedly taking bribes in an attempt to fight against corruption in South Korea.

- Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso retracted earlier remarks that suggested Japan should learn from Nazi Germany's constitutional remarks.

August 2, 2013

- North Korea remain silent for a fifth day on Friday concerning South Korea's proposal for "final talks" aimed at reopening the Kaesong complex.

- The second round of negotiations with Japan and China for a three-way free trade agreement ended Friday after what South Korea called "constructive discussions"

- Prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for former chief of the national tax agency, Jeon Goon-Pyo, on charges of accepting bribes from food and entertainment conglomerate CJ Group in 2006, just after he was named commisioner of the National Tax Service.

Friday, August 2, 2013

Renault to stop making Renaultsport Twingo

2012 Renault Twingo Gordini RS

There's been a sad news in the world of hot hatches because Renault has confirmed that they won't be building a new Twingo RS by the moment the next generation Twingo, which was influenced by the TwinRun concept, comes soon. Some say, this could be the last of the naturally-aspirated Renaultsport models ever made because pretty soon, all Renaultsport models are turbocharged.

If Renault plans to revive it, it would be turbocharged but it's unlikely to fit it with Renault's EDC gearbox because of costs and it's complicated to fit it in a small car.

Story: http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/renault-twingo-renaultsport-axed-2013-08-01

Scion tC/Toyota Zelas minor change

2014 Scion tC

Scion, Toyota's youth oriented brand was launched in 2003 with two models, the xA which is the first Toyota iST and the xB which is a Toyota bB. Yes, they're both made in Japan but Scion is nothing more of a North American exclusive brand targeted for the younger audience, especially speedo boys. The tC though, although it may be more of a Celica underneath it, this 3-door sports coupe is a wide appeal to the speedo boys in America. It's been three years now since the second-generation Scion tC broke loose with mixed reactions and for this minor change, what can I say?

2014 Scion tC
This minor change is a bit too unorthodox to me. While some say, it draws inspiration from its FR-S big brother, there's one hint of cost-cutting around here because based on the new front face, I can sharply assumed that the new front lamps were borrowed from the facelifted Toyota Mark X (Reiz). Suspicious or is this just a big coincidence? Although I can't say that this new face can be a bit of a fluke, the speedo boy favorite tries to keep itself "red hot" like pizza supper. Wait a minute. Red hot like pizza supper? Aw man, why did I just said that? That's morally wrong to describe that the 2014 tC is red hot as pizza supper. Seriously, pizza supper? I did this sometimes, having pizza for dinner but still this is more topical than having a gorilla in a cake.

Scion says that the 2014 tC loves to pick on a fight against the Hyundai Veloster, the soon-to-be-replaced Kia Forte Koup, and the commoner favorite, the Ford Focus. So, how does it compare? For starters, the tC carries a 2.5 L 2AR-FE straight-4 which develops a moderate 179HP of power, that's more than what you expect than the Veloster, the Koup, and the Focus. And with the starting price of just 20,965 US Dollars, that's more reasonable to buy than the Veloster, Koup, and Focus.

2014 Scion tC interior

2014 Scion tC interior

So, it's a fair choice for the speedo boys who prefer a car that suits their style and consider it a SWAG but how it's like to be a driver's car? To find out, I had to imagine myself eating too much hotdog but be warned. This isn't the hotdog contest for the faint-hearted. The first hotdog would be a pleasant one for me because I'm still on the starved basis. If I'm still hungry after eating one hotdog, I'd eat another one and one minute later, another one! And another! More and more until my stomach says "I'm stuffed", meaning that's enough. Yep, that's exactly how it feels like when you're driving the new tC because by the way you're driving it feels like you're trying to beat Joey Chestnut's record for most hotdogs eaten but sadly, it feels a bit more like...Muscle Man.

Even with the reworked suspension system, it feels a bit more "stuffed" than "starved" and oh! One more thing you may notice... There's this optional 6-speed automatic transmission with rev matching downshifts which allows quicker downshifts on the road. That all seems fine but because real men are always going for the manual, who cares? The 6-speed manual's a standard so this is how fun they'll going to shift these little suckers like a man. Changing gear is all about freedom and with the three pedals and the 6-speed manuals, it feels like that you are in complete control over the car for fun and speedo boys like it too.

So, conclusion time. While the new model may feel a bit more Muscle Man and hotdogs but it's still one of the most enjoyable front-wheel drive sportscars that money can buy. You can forget about the Veloster or the Koup or the Focus. It's this one you can keep and trick if you have the funds to scare the neighborhood. So, would you want one of these or not? That's a simple question only you can answer.

Available colors: Black, Magnetic Gray Metallic, Blue Streak Metallic, Absolutely Red, Cement, Classic Silver Metallic, and Super White.

Photo: Toyota Motor Sales USA

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Let's Do The News! (August 1, 2013)

James: Let's do the news folks and oh! I can't believe it's August already! Summer's almost over for us and after that, it's fall and then later on it's Christmas!

Richard: Yeah and in about four months time, we're almost going to say goodbye to Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith for Christmas!

(audience laughing)

Richard: Oh! That reminds me, did you see Season Three of Adult Swim's NTSF:SD:SUV:: show? Anyone?!

(audience murmuring)

Richard: Well I do. It's the one where convicts on the plane are geeks until geeks are taking over the plane and the team are doing everything to stop them. I saw that and what's surprising is...

Jeremy: Wait, lemme guess...Miss Karen Gillan's here, am I not?

Richard: Yes. Miss Karen Gillan, who was recently had bald hair since San Diego Comic Con last month, was in the show. Surprising, isn't it? Man, I'm so gonna watch this season of that show because of K-Gillie...

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Richard, are you saying some cute things about Miss Karen Gillan? Stop talking like a baby. Man, this is getting worse than I thought.

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Anyway, we're still on the subject of surveillance because while in Washington, in order to offset the damage done from the Snowden espionage scandal, the Obama administration declassified some info about a court order authorising the collection of millions of US phone records. Also, it says here that "It is illegal in the United States for intelligence agencies to monitor US citizens without a court order". Heh?

Richard: What do you mean "heh?"

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Well, since the whole US Government is busy tracking down the whole 60 million Americans, especially foreigners, and labeling the whole US population as "terrorists" even though ordinary people never done anything wrong, I was wondering that such thing really made an inspiration for the upcoming Watch_Dogs video game.

James: Honestly, yeah. That does inspired into making the upcoming Watch_Dogs game and if you're going to be as good as the main character Aiden Pearce, perhaps you're going to dig deeper. Thanks UBI Soft, you really took the idea into making that game. Looking forward to this new game, which I believe, is an open-world game that took some Grand Theft Auto elements on it with a bit more feel.

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Anyway, when I was busy checking my Facebook for a few hours, what I've been noticing that more and more people are busy posting some lame, non-sense stuff that doesn't look like a status update at all. They're long and always with the quotation marks from start to finish but what's the point of that?

(audience laughing)

Richard: Oh wait. Guess you're starting a rant about Facebook, eh?

Jeremy: No. Not just Facebook, it's those people who busy putting non-sense stuff like for this example. Ahem...  (mockingly) "REMEMBER: In every NO from someone, is a YES to someone better." What does it mean? That's not a status update...that's blabber nonsense!

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Here's another and that makes me yawn. Ahem..."Don't compare yourself to others,compare yourself to the person yesterday...". Would you please stop posting nonsense on Facebook?!!

(audience laughing)

James: Hey! I got another one. And it says here...""I love you" means that I accept you for the person that you are, and that I do not wish to change you into someone else. It means that I will love you and stand by you even through the worst of times. It means loving you when you’re in a bad mood or too tired to do things I want to do. It means that I care enough to fight for what we have and that I love you enough not to let " What the (bleep) was that?!

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: I dunno but it's all gibberish. Note to Facebook users, stop posting too much gibberish stuff. It makes everyone confused.

(audience laughing)

Richard: Guys, there's a new special edition Lamborghini Gallardo and I can't believe that Lambo's still making special Gallardos for this year despite the fact that there's a replacement on the works. Anyway, here's the special Gallardo I'm talking about...

Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Squadra Corse

(ooohhh)

Richard: It's called the LP570-4 Squadra Corse, it draws inspiration from its Super Trofeo racer, those Italian flag-like decal on the sides as seen on the Veneno, comes with the V10 engine, 570PS of power, and it reaches the supercar holy grail of over 200 miles per hour. I think it looks fantastic to look at.

Jeremy: Yeah. That's definitely more fantastic to look at and I have to say, that's even more insane than the other special Gallardo called the Super Trofeo Stradale, if I'm honest. Oh, that's about as red hot as...pizza supper.

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: What? What did I said?

Richard: You said "Red Hot like Pizza Supper" and that's Adventure Time stuff! (laughing)

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Oh, come on!!!

(laughter continues...then stop)

Jeremy: Anyway, meanwhile in Pakistan, I just heard that there was a strange game show targeted for the couples in which the prize is...

Richard: Wait! Wait! Is it about...well I don't know Pakistani money but I just wanna say...a million pounds?

James: A new car?

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: No. The prize was...an abandoned baby!

(huh?)

Jeremy: This is not a joke! This is real! There was a game show in Pakistan for the couples in which whoever wins, gets an abandoned baby as the prize! Creepy, isn't it? Well, here in Pakistan, there are no laws about adopting a baby by any means necessary. That's also creepy. Having a game show where an abandoned baby as a prize is too odd. Someone's had a poo brain about this.

(audience laughing)


DUE TO SENSIBLE CONTENT, SOME PARTS OF IT ARE CENSORED


James: ...like that!

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Anyway, there's going to be tons of conventions going on this month. Let's see... In San Antonio, Texas, this August 16 to 18, at the HBG Convention Center and San Antonio Grand Hyatt hotel, there's the San Japan Sinister 6. It's one of the most notable anime conventions in San Antonio, Texas and for this year, some cosplays, some masquerades, some games, chess, some Poke-Battle Live, there's a lot of it if I'm honest.

James: There's also Dragon Con coming this month. Aug 30–Sept 2, 2013, at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Sheraton Atlanta Hotel, and Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel. There's going to be a parade, autographs, burlesque, oh! There's some Mythbusters going on in Dragon Con. Lovely...

Richard: Then there's the Otakon and this year marks the 20th anniversary of Otakon. It starts from August 9 to 11 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland. So much to do here.

James: Also, this August 17 to 18 at the SQCC, Penang, Malaysia, Culture Japan invites everyone at the Culture Japan Con, hosted by prolific otaku Danny Choo. There's a lot of guests coming on this event, especially voice actress Yuu Asakawa, band Vividblaze, and more.

Richard: You know what? This is getting pretty good.

Jeremy: Yeah and that is the end of the news.

2014 Hyundai Avante facelift teased

2014 Hyundai Avante facelift teased

Straight from the official Hyundai Motor Facebook page, they're teasing a facelifted model of the Hyundai Avante (known worldwide as the Elantra). Based on the teaser, meh. Just the lamps, the new design of the rims, and the rear lamps. The slogan says here "OVER THE CLASS" and the naming "THE NEW AVANTE" really sums up for the upcoming 2014 minor model change.

Stay tuned.

From its Facebook account:

[H-CAR]

더 뉴아반떼 사전계약 실시!

“아반떼를 넘어선 아반떼가 온다!”

디젤 엔진을 추가해
지구력이 한 층 업그레이드 된 아반떼!

새로워진 아반떼를
만나고 싶으시다면 ‘좋아요’를 눌러주세요!

COMING SOON!

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Peugeot 208 XY

If you're a female and you had a name starts with either a Candace or a Bea or a Wendy, I might be thinking that the car I'm about talk is wrong about calling this one a car targeted for the females but Peugeot says it isn't. So, what is it about?

2014 Peugeot 208 XY

2014 Peugeot 208 XY
This is the XY, the Peugeot 208 XY and by the looks of it, think of the Peugeot 208 XY as the gender-swapped version of the hot Peugeot 208 GTi. Kinda like the gender-swapped episode of my favorite cartoon where there was a young girl and a talking cat out for adventures. I didn't like that episode though.

Anyway, the XY model doesn't seem to be quite obvious to look at but because this is more of a gender-swapped version of the 208 GTi, even though they're both available exclusively in three door variants, I don't think that there are many boys to like this car much like the gender-swapped episode of my favorite cartoon. Guess those who saw that episode kinda liked it but how likeable is the 208 XY?

2014 Peugeot 208 XY interior

It's like the normal 3-door version of the 208 but the XY gives the 208 a sense of poshness like for instance, this specially-designed grille, the XY badge at the back and the sides, the exclusive Purple Night color, the beige-colored dashboard on the interior and a choice of four seat colors especially the ones with Alcantara. Although not a fan of Alcantara because by the moment I touch those, it feels like a bathroom carpet every time I rubbed my hand on it gently. That's seems to be posh to me and then the touchscreen as seen on the normal 208 retains, making it a well-suited suitor with the computer geek in mind.

The added poshness on the 208 XY seems to be rather interesting but how about being a driver's car? Well, for starters it has the similar handling capabilities as the hot 208 GTi so by the time it faces a corner, it really sips it up like a Chinese soup where you'll add just one egg. Yummy.

And then there's the engine choices and for the XY model, it's available in either a 1.6L e-HDi in two configurations, and a tamed and underpowered version of the same 1.6L THP engine that powered the 208 GTi. When I said underpowered version, yep, that 1.6L THP engine develops 154bhp of power. It may not quite be an alternative to the hot 208 GTi but as a driver's car, it's worth noticing and enticing.

2014 Peugeot 208 XY

Love it or hate it, the 208 XY from Peugeot is worth an attractive city cruiser made for the fashionistas and for me, because I didn't like the gender-swapped episode of...well you know what show it is, I didn't like it. I like the way this car stays classy but not a lot because consider this, gender-swapped stuff is blatant and rubbish. Much better, don't just swap genders or feature some gender-swapped stuff for your own viewing pleasure, keep it that way. I would rather go for the 208 GTi than this because it's worth character-building than the XY and overall, it's more fun.

Available colors: Blanc Banquise, Spirit Grey, Noir Perla Nera, Dark Blue, and Purple Night.

PRICE LIST:
1,6L e-HDi FAP 92ch BVM5 - 21,900 Euros
1,6L e-HDi FAP 115ch BVM6 - 23,100 Euros
1,6L THP 155ch BVM6 - 22,050 Euros

Photo: PSA Peugeot Citroen

New Jaguar XJR

The Maserati Quattroporte, the Aston Martin Rapide S, and the facelifted Porsche Panamera aren't the only ones classified as a four-door supercar despite having powerful engines planted on their four-door saloons for businessmen who aren't businessmen at all. In fact, there's another 4-door supercar in the making and this time...what could this be?

2014 Jaguar XJR
At first glance, it looks like a Jaguar XJ, the car Jeremy Clarkson drove in the race against The Creator, The Lord God Almighty, and he won just before the sun rises. Except now, the XJ is getting more aggressive than ever and this time...they dropped a supercharged V8 engine that powered the XKR-S under the bonnet. They named it...XJR.

Yes, the XJR is back and for this new model, I was referring that it can be a potential threat to high-performance flagship saloons especially the upcoming S63 AMG but this is just one of the things that make you go hmmm. Think of the new XJR as the...how can I say this? Oh yeah! Some Brainiac reference! Either the Celebrity Electric Shock or Celebrity Day Job Electrocution but still both of them best sums it up when it comes to the flagship saloon now turned a potential 4-door supercar. Think Tina Turner and her Bunsen Burner meets Diana Ross and her chain reaction. When you put them both and will they fizz or bang? Glow or blow? Fizzle or flash? Either way, this can be a serious threat to its rivals...or is it?

2014 Jaguar XJR interior

Rally up the Brainiacs because there's something more for the gentleman's country club now turned a Brainiac lab for the insane experiments. The V8 engine that powered the XKR-S Coupe delivers 550PS of power and 680Nm of torque. 680Nm of torque...that's 10Nm less than the Ferrari F12 but it's fairly close. With such torque, I wonder, it's more than enough to put a stick of dynamite at the turkey's bum or at the center of the kebab. Yummy.

Then there's the noise that doesn't sound like a supercar but it sounds like an old-fashioned American muscle car. That muscle car-esque vocals really feels like you're a Brainiac piloting a NASCAR in the streets of London and then making a mess at the Wales Millenium Centre, which is near the fictional Torchwood Three HQ which was blown up from the Children of Earth arc. Love it though but I'm afraid there are some demerits out there.

First of all, in the normal XJ, it feels like a gentleman's club. Very classy, very subtle, and very sophisticated. The sooner you had a chauffeur, the sooner you became a lazy man at the back of the car. For the XJR, how can I describe it? Oh wait! I know! Brainiac's Celebrity Electric Shock. It's like you invite a well-loved, well-payed A-list celebrity and then you start to electrocute him or her from remote control soft to TASER GUN INTENSE. The XJR really is TASER GUN INTENSE because when it gets through, your client succumbs, yelling their messages of surrender. I can imagine what it feels like when Vanessa Feltz survived through Level 5 of the electric shock...about the same as a cattle prod.

The 0-60mph time is 4.4 seconds and flat-out it would do about 174mph, that's better than those high-powered German saloons because of their limited set to 155mph. That's seem to be a total advantage for the XJR but there's another disadvantage for the new model...the pricing. It starts at 92,370 British Pounds Sterling, which seems to be less expensive than the XJ SUPERSPORT LWB model even though it packs more power than that but that's more than the rest of the normal premium saloons. Also, it's available exclusively in SWB so that's a big wuss but who cares?

This car doesn't bother with all the demerits because that new XJR is just so stunning to drive at. It's quite civilized on normal roads, more fun in open roads, more head turning than a woman's cleavage from either the buns or the breasts, and best of all, you can enjoy this car all day long until your ribs got relocated to the back. One thing you don't want for the XJR, as a chauffeur's car, is to get a celebrity to the back because by the time you're going bonkers with it...well I said it many times...your client will end up feeling like being electrocuted.

This new model...is HOT STUFF.

Available Colors: Polaris White, Ebony, Rhodium Silver Metallic, Lunar Grey Metallic, Stratus Grey Metallic, Ultimate Black Metallic, Cashmere Metallic, Satellite Grey Metallic, Carnelian Red Metallic, British Racing Green Metallic, Black Amethyst Metallic, and Italian Racing Red Metallic.

Photo: Jaguar Land Rover

Hayate the combat butler Cuties ENDING & Heroine OST 2

Hayate the combat butler Cuties
ENDING & Heroine OST

Well here it is, the latter half of the Hayate the combat butler Cuties ENDING & Heroine OST and for this one, it's the turn of the remaining characters, each with their TV-sized versions of their closing theme songs from the anime TV series, starting with Ruka Suirenji, Ayumu Nishizawa, Maria, Kayura Tsurugino, Chiharu Harukaze, and yes, the final closing theme song as heard in the series finale sung by Hayate, Nagi, and Maria. Not just that, it also comes with another set of character theme songs as heard in the TV series.

TRACK LISTINGS:

1. 月の祈り (TV EDIT)
2. Walkin’ (TV EDIT)
3. POKER FACE for all (TV EDIT)
4. 水曜日のサンデー (TV EDIT)
5. 約束 (TV EDIT)
6. Invitation ~君といる場所で~ (TV EDIT)
7. 青空、自転車に乗って ~Cuties 水蓮寺ルカのテーマ~
8. 普通という特別 ~Cuties 西沢 歩のテーマ~
9. ラノベなオトメ ~Cuties 春風千桜のテーマ~
10. ハガネのオタク ~Cuties 剣野カユラのテーマ~
11. マリア17歳 ~Cuties マリアのテーマ1~
12. ちびっこ生徒会長 ~Cuties マリアのテーマ2~
13. Kissの相手を探す少年
14. そもそもがコミカル
15. ナギの想い、ハヤテの決意

LIMITED EDITION: For those who pre-ordered, there's a special DVD which contains textless version of the closing sequences from episodes 7 to 12 of Hayate no Gotoku Cuties.

For international customers: http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=GNCA-1383

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Outtakes: Fun with Adventure Time's BMO app

OUTTAKE:

So, while the blokes are busy with their flim-flam whatever stuff they're talking to, here I am enjoying myself with my newest favorite app in the whole wide world. I was gonna say "mathematical" but it is.

It's BMO time!


This is the BMO or Beemo app from the hit TV series, Adventure Time, on Cartoon Network. As fans know, BMO is more of a trusty little gizmo for video games, TV, camera, and an all-purpose gadget for any situation Finn and Jake are up to, it's still one of the most cutest characters in the history of cartoons. I was gonna plan to put BMO in my How Cute Is Your Character segment but I'll deal with it later. Anyway, weird thing about BMO is that despite being an AI, it does some weird stuff while it's left alone, like me.

Maybe BMO and I truly had in common, we do some weird stuff when we are left alone. Get it? Remember the one where BMO's talking to the mirror and then saying "I'm a little living boy!" and then it goes...PEEING!

Peeing!

Yep, that's how I love this BMO character so much. It maybe an AI but it's mathematically cute, I think. Anyway, onto the new BMO app.

While this app's in Version 2.0.0, here's how it's done by a video clip I made...



- You can play PRO FOOTBALL 1861

- You can use the camera function to take some pics or choose some of its preset backgrounds. Then add some Adventure Time stickers on it to share it with your pals

- You can listen to some of the dialogue from your favorite AT characters; Finn the Human, Jake the Dog, BMO, Ice King, LSP, and Princess Bubblegum.

- You can set an alarm clock and let the selected Adventure Time blabber of your choice wake you up.

Best of all, it yours for free. That's right. It's FREE so you don't need to pay a penny just to have this ultra-cute app on your iPhone or iPad.

Oh yeah, here's some of the fun I did using the CAMERA function from my BMO app...









Get one: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/adventure-time-soundboard/id402791902?mt=8

As BMO would say..."BMO is app!" So...WHO WANTS TO PLAY VIDEO GAMES?

OUTTAKE END

Let's Do The News! (July 30, 2013)

River's Diary


River's Diary, I'm bored, can you tell me something what's going on around here?

- The idol-genre wars are heating up because THE iDOLM@STER and Love Live School Idol Project aren't the only idol-related stuff are pitting against. Come 2014 and the idol-genre wars are heating up.

Starting with Nitroplus because just announced that there's going to be a brand-new idol-producing game for the Nintendo 3DS. It's called SoniPro. If that wasn't enough, another Super Sonico game called Motto! SoniComi, which is an updated 2014 PS3 version of the 2011 PC game SoniComi packed with revised graphics and gameplay.




- While in the middle of an idol war, a new anime directed by Yutaka Yamamoto from Kannagi, titled Wake Up, Girls is slated for early 2014 airing. It highlights on the girls who are realizing their dreams in the so-called "idol sengoku jidai" in the Tohoku region. If that name looks familiar, it's because you're drunk or you remember when this region got battered by a powerful earthquake and tsunami since March 11, 2011.

Wake Up, Girls!


Anyway, it's about a small production company in the brink of going out of business. The president of that company came up with a plan to make an idol group and sent manager Matsuda to recruit some hopefuls until he meets up with some certain girl...

Scoop: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2013-07-28/kannagi-yamakan-reveals-wake-up-girls-anime-characters-and-cast


- In a bold move by the BBC, the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special will be aired simultaneously worldwide this November 23rd. Which means that if this special aired on BBC One at 7:00PM British Standard Time, it will be aired in BBC America at 11:00AM Pacific.

Scoop: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-07-26/doctor-who-50th-anniversary-special-to-be-broadcast-around-the-world-simultaneously


- The production version of the BMW i3, the first ever electric car under the BMW i banner, was revealed.

2014 BMW i3


- There's this special clip courtesy of Honda featuring the use of science to recreate the sounds of the legendary F1 machine driven by the legendary Ayrton Senna round the Suzuka Circuit.




- Remember the HOVERVAN episode from Top Gear Series 20? Well, bad news. It seems that the show's under fire for using actors in the scene where the home made hovercraft blows people in the riverside restaurant away in Season 20 episode 4.

Story: http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/top-gear-watch-video-fake-2099744


- FEZ II, the sequel to FEZ indie game developed by Polytron Corporation, was cancelled and the creator of FEZ, Phil Fish, says that he had it with the gaming industry, saying it's too critical. Here's what it says about the sudden cancellation, as stated by the official Polytron website.

"FEZ II is cancelled.
i am done.
i take the money and i run.
this is as much as i can stomach.
this is isn’t the result of any one thing, but the end of a long, bloody campaign.
you win.
"

Further reading: http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/27/4563738/fez-ii-abruptly-canceled-after-developer-phil-fish-explodes-in-rage


- Aiding the enemy? Well, sort of. There's an article suggesting that Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG signed a new deal that involves in the supply of V8 engines and some new platforms. Aston says that this new partnership will help launch new machines with these new V8s and "cutting edge technology".

Story: http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/aston-martin-mercedes-benz-amg-partnership-v8-engines-2013-07-25

- I believe that there has been some error going on on Rolling Stone's Comic-Con International's Craziest Costumes gallery. No. Nothing's wrong with it but look...

That's not Gameboy. That's BMO!


Sharp-eyed readers of the RollingStone website might have noticed that in this pic, that's someone cosplayed as BMO from Adventure Time cartoon show but RS says its' "Gameboy". GAMEBOY?!? No. That's not Gameboy. (laughing hard) That's BMO! Please get it right, thnaks.

TTFN!

Monday, July 29, 2013

Driving Music (What is the name of the song on car commercial?) Vol. 54


Like my new logo for the Driving Music segment? It's worth not even a single penny. Anyway, so many of you have been inquiring about what is the name of the song as heard in a car commercial, I wouldn't even bothered coming to you anymore. If you want to find what's the song in the car commercial, you'd come to the right place.

Anyway, here comes another set of five driving musics that fits well on your playlist suitable for the long driving trip from boredom to fun.

5) Feeling Good by Michael Buble - from the Honda Accord Hybrid commercial

4) EXPOSE by KAT-TUN - from the Suzuki Solio Bandit commercial

3) Children of the Revolution by T-REX - from the Fiat USA 500L "Italian Invasion" commercial

2) Baba O'Riley by The Who - from the Mazda USA Mazda6 "This is the Mazda Way" commercial

1) 40 Day Dreamer by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - from the 2013 Citroen Nouvelle C4 Picasso "Space" commercial.

...that's it. These are the five driving musics to find it on your local music stores. Driving Music. The segment where all the car commercial songs are archived for findings. Which driving musics will be featured next? Stay tuned for more...

How Cute Is Your Character? - Mog

Deep in hearts of our studio, I had an obsession...

I LOVE CUTE CHARACTERS.

Each week, a bureau will present me with something cute in bid to make it into the top of my CUTENESS RANKER leaderboard as I asked...and sorry if I had to borrow something from Brainiac's How Hard Is Your Thing...

HOW CUTE IS YOUR CHARACTER?

Today's cute character is...

image
Mog

Is Mog one of the cute characters in the world of Final Fantasy, and one of the playable characters in the spinoff game, Chocobo Racing? All right, it looks kinda cute but HOW CUTE IS MOG?

Each week, a cute character must face three separate tests. The cuteness of Phineas and Ferb's Isabella, the very tightening of being "huggable", but first, the impact of getting kissed.

Some say that a Mog is friendly but if you poke its sides, the Mog will get angry. However, how "kissable" is the Mog? 3...2...1...Mog from the Final Fantasy franchise is kissable but being kissable doesn't last for long. This gives Mog a "kissable" rating of: 8 out of 10.

What happens when you hug Mog? Well, an average Final Fantasy fan would take a few minutes to hug Mog but for a non-FF fan, that's hard. Since I love that Mog character when I was a kid, I just love Mog's cute squeals. I just wanna hug Mog to the death. For that, Mog's hug-me-to-the-death rating is: 8 out of 10.

Last test, resistant to Isabella's cuteness. If you saw the Meapless in Seattle episode, then you will know that Isabella's cuteness outcute the evil alien who kicked poor Meap's butt. However, is the Mog resistant to the cuteness of Lady Isabella herself or will her cuteness outcute Mog? The answer...not quite as good, giving Mog a wimpy Isabella-resistance rating of: 3 out of 10

After three "sweet tooth" tests, Mog from the Final Fantasy series scored a not so bad 19 out of 30 points.

CUTENESS RANKER:
1) Mog - 19/30

How cute do I rank it? Not Bad. HOW CUTE IS YOUR CHARACTER?

VIDEO: See how 2014MY Wagon R's Radar Brake Support works


Weeks ago, Suzuki launched a 2014MY update for the fifth-generation Wagon R range which not only improved the fuel economy to 30.0km/L but also featuring a clever safety system similar to Volvo's City Safety system. We're talking about the new Radar Brake Support system with a clever system that can automatically brake the car in a near-collision scenario.

Wanna see how it works? Here's a clip courtesy of CarniftyTV and find out...

Gran Turismo 5: Classic Fiat Panda



Sometimes though, even the world of Gran Turismo can be a bit too notorious for featuring so many bangers in the franchise, one of those bangers was this, the first generation Fiat Panda. By the time I drove one of those, the first thing that came out in my mind is simple...What am I doing in this old banger anyway?



First of all, let's talk about how it looks like. The first generation Panda, launched in 1980, was styled by Giugiaro, which seems to be an interesting name because he's the man behind numerous works including the first generation VW Golf, the Lancia Delta, and the Maserati MC12. It's not quite bad for a Giugiaro-designed car even though it looks kinda resemble to the Fiat Uno, the car I rarely saw one in the streets when I was a kid. However, let's get back to the question...



What I have here is the one with the 1.0L engine, complete with electronic fuel injection. This engine develops a very disappointing 44HP of power and when I take my foot down on the pedal...that noise from its engine which has the same capacity as a 1-litre bottle of Coke is about as similar as a vibrating chair, only a bit too dull. So, when the noise is too dull, how about cornering? When careful, the cornering of the Panda seems a bit generous but no. The handling is not generous. If I was an old lady, most of my spine will shred every time I turn round a corner in the Panda. Painful, isn't it?

Understeer-wise, I could get likely be crashed. Yep, this banger is all horrid to me. I wonder how did the owners of this old Panda handle this so seriously?

Another thing about the first Panda that since its discontinuation in 2003, about 4.5 million units were produced, making it one of the most common cars you can expect one not just in Italy but in most parts in Europe. By the time the Panda is good to drive in the past, it garnered so much recognition and oh, it was placed 2nd in the European Car of the Year awards in its first full year of production.



For stupidity, this car has been in the butt of stupidity. I saw Clarkson made a limo out of it from an episode of Top Gear and then it got split into two. Also, this Panda got flipped over by a bunch of rockets for some Brainiac experiment about stuff NASA never tried. Remember those? Me too...

But still, despite being too horrid for today's world, the Panda is still one of the most memorable rides made by the Italians. Even though it's all crud, I still appreciate how the Panda gave it all it had for the drivers.

Top Gear S20E05

Top Gear S20E05

In episode 5 of BBC Top Gear Series 20, we saw Jeremy and James investigating crossovers (with some caravan carnage involved) and then using the Volkswagen Tiguan and the Mazda CX-5 as their basis to spend a couple of days living like the kind of person who would buy one.

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento

Meanwhile, Richard Hammond gone berserk in Italy, driving the Lamborghini Aventador Roadster and then the track-only Sesto Elemento. Yes, the Sesto Elemento is track-only and it does not count on the POWER LAP BOARD even though it set an impressive lap time of 1:14.0.

Oh yeah, also, James May tries to show his love for 911's by driving a modern recreation of the classic Porsche 911 called the Singer 911.

In that episode's SIARPC segment, Aerosmith lead vocalist Steven Tyler was the guest and he set a rather disapproving lap time round the Top Gear Track in the Vauxhall Astra Tech Line in 1:51.

Next week will be the Season 20 finale of BBC Top Gear as the boys are bringing on the big guns...THE BEST OF BRITAIN!

F1 2013 Hungarian GP

In the Hungary GP of the F1 2013 season, Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton made his first win for this season despite the struggling tyre wear from his F1 machine. From Hamilton's pole position, that gave him a huge advantage right until his struggles as this race went on and on until his victor that makes Hamilton one of the few who won the Grand Prix for Mercedes-Benz.

However, after the race, Ferrari was fined for Fernando Alonso's misuse of the Drag Reduction System and they charged them 15,000 euros by the Hungarian GP committee.

Story: http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2013/7/14855.html

So far, Vettel still leads with 172 while Raikkonen advanced ahead of Alonso with 134 to 133. The next match will be held at Belgium this August 25, 2013.

Super GT 2013 Round 4 Sugo

#8 ARTA HSV-010

It's raining in Sugo, making round 4 of the 2013 SUPER GT season more challenging for the Super GT racers in both the GT300 and GT500 class. In a surprise twist, two ARTA-liveried Honda racers took the checkered flag in the rain. For the first time in 3 years, the #8 ARTA HSV-010, driven by Ralph Firman and Kosuke Matsuura, won round 4 while in the GT300 class, the #55 ARTA CR-Z GT, driven by Shinichi Takagi and Takashi Kobayashi, won the round, making it a double ARTA win in the wet Sugo racetrack.

Story: http://supergt.net/pages/pg:news_detail/device:pc/ln:en/id:13149

Next round is on Suzuka Circuit for the 42nd International Pokka Sapporo 1000km match. This happens this August 17-18, 2013.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

What's in our Car Town garage today? (July 28, 2013)

What's in our Car Town garage today?

1959 Cadillac El Dorado Convertible

The Biarritz, named after a posh French resort town patronized by the likes of Napoleon and Queen Victoria, is the open-top convertible version of the legendary Cadillac El Dorado, which redefined the term "land yacht" because of its unique tail fins and the rocketship-style taillights at the back. Powering the El Dorado Biarritz was the 345 horsepower triple-carbureted 390 V8 engine, which bring this land yacht to a top speed of 130 mph. No wonder Elvis Presley had one for him.

1959 Cadillac El Dorado Convertible

2001 BMW M3

Based on the E46 3-Series coupe, this M3 Coupe incorporates with BMWs concept of being "The suspension must always be faster than the engine" because of its clever suspension system which compensates the power of its 3.2L straight-6 engine. Since its launch,  this generation was mated with a Getrag 6-speed MT but later, BMW added an SMG II, the company's double clutch semi-automatic transmission.

2001 BMW M3

2011 Ferrari 458 Spider

When taking a roof of a normal car, it somehow loses its rigidity and then resort to making it heavier than its coupe equivalent by any means of stiffening needs. For the 458 Spider, that's a different agenda. It maybe slower than its hardtop equivalent because of its 198mph top speed thanks to its added weight but when you take it for a spin, you'd never feel its heaviness. It packs the same fun as expected from its hardtop model. You may remember that in the 3rd episode of Top Gear Season 20, the 458 Spider revealed as the choice for the cost-conscious convertible fan. It's the convertible supercar we're all agree on.

2011 Ferrari 458 Spider