Saturday, May 14, 2016

Doom (2016 game)

Yes, the first-person shooter legend is back and for 2016, the legendary FPS game Doom gets a whole new modern twist to this one helluva shooter game that caused a stir on millions of gamers since the original Doom went out on the PC in the mid-90's. Now made for PC and new-generation gaming consoles such as the PS4 and XBOX One, the new Doom is going to be the bloodiest offerings in the summer.

Doom (PC)
Doom (PS4)
Doom (XBOX One)
So, what's what about the 2016 Doom game? Well, since this is an entirely new take on the bloody classic shooter legend, this is going to be one helluva different than the original Doom you knew because it's been peppered with tons of stuff to keep fans longing for some demon-slaying frenzy.

First up, the solo-player campaign and like what to expect in the classic Doom, it's a classic FPS mechanic. In here, players pit on a role of a DOOM Marine assigned to eradicate intergalactic demons lurking around the Martian research facility using a brutal array of weapons you can find to kill those underworld beings in an awesome way. It's either kill or be killed awesomely in the new Doom game.

If you had enough fun with the brutal solo-player mission, you can compete against opponents in online multiplayer, which is back for a game developed by id Software. Apart from classic deathmatches, the new Doom features different multiplayer modes that can test your bloody skills and like I said, it's either kill or be killed awesomely. Think you got what it takes to become DOOM's finest?!

And amazingly, the new Doom is now more fun than ever thanks to the brand new DOOM SnapMap feature, where players can create maps and objectives, and then share it to the world for them. Want to make it easy? Try create a less-complicating mission but if your mates want some challenge, try make it harder and see if one of your friends can't beat the mission you've made for them, unless someone else bravely does. There are so many ways to create missions in the SnapMap feature, thus making the new Doom one of the best games to blast out your creative expertise.

So, thoughts about the new Doom? In new-generation consoles, the new Doom is so great to play, you can even share your favorite bloody moments and how you manage to slay intergalactic demons in style, but in PC versions, it's a bit good, perhaps, even if all that demon-slaying shindig is taking a bite out of your hard drive. Either way, the new Doom is becoming one helluva great games to enjoy in the summer season and you can spend all day trying to finish that whole solo-player missions or try out different missions curated by the gamers themselves just for the thrill of it.

LIMITED EDITION: For the limited time only, the new Doom offers a Collector's Edition and it features not just the game itself but also other extras such as the 12-inch Revenant figure and a special Demon Multiplayer Pack for some added challenge. It's time to Fight Like Hell.

TGUSA: Car For Life



Cars are pretty much like humans because they undergo the stages of life from the cradle to the grave. That's why the boys of Top Gear (The Hit American TV Show) are picking the cars based on their birth year and see if these cars undergo the stages of life.

Tanner goes for the 1973 Datsun 240Z while Rut goes for the 1980 Dodge van and Adam opts for the 1966 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham.

First off, the gang takes the first challenge involving the recreation of you typical driver's license test. In this challenge, Adam's Cadillac won while Tanner's Z got disqualified because it failed to start.

Next, the gang does the fatherhood test and their job is to collect maternal stuff and get through the hospital as quickly as they can while carrying a pregnant dummy onboard. They got thirty minutes to finish the job. With Adam and Tanner failed, Rut won the challenge at a nick of time.


Midlife crisis goes next and the boys tried out some American super saloons of the present day. Adam goes for the all-new Cadillac CTS-V while Rut goes for the ultra-powerful Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat and Tanner opts for the ludicrous Tesla Model S P90D. They tried these American super saloons with series of tests to see how cool these high-powered machines are.

And lastly, one of their old cars will face the graveyard as they're on a survival game against The Stig on a hearse. In the end...the last car survived is..a Cadillac!

It goes to show that cars like these can undergo the cycle of life from the cradle to the grave but in the end, there's only one car that can be driven for a lifetime...almost.

#BGRaidSaBar

On the May 13, 2016 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Raid sa Bar gags

- Mang Tañong thinks he's one with the Eraserheads

- This resto serves everything!

- A multipurpose wedding reception on a budget!



- A meeting with a wedding coordinator.

- A different kind of anger management is examined on a talk show!







- A different kind of court hearing where no offensive words are allowed.

- Don Cantoni gets what he's ordered.

Friday, May 13, 2016

The Cute Wall (Volume Thirteen)

Now, the moment of truth is time because it's now time to do...THE CUTE WALL!



Yes, it's back and...I smell trouble.

What trouble?

You know that last time, someone put the names of Resident Evil heroines in the SERIOUSLY NOT CUTE position in our Cute Wall. Now, there's something strange going on again and this time I got new names in the list. Care to read?

Let's see...hmmm...Maya Fey, Pearl Fey, Ema Skye, Trucy Wright, Kay Faraday, Athena Cykes...oh my!

What?

These are...the babes from the Ace Attorney franchise. Most of it were positioned at NOT CUTE.

Are there anyone other than those in the NOT CUTE spot?

I think that's it.

Maya...If she founds out that we called her not cute, her deceased sister Mia's going to hunt us down in the afterlife...

...still, could be worse. We could be facing...OBJECTION!...by the legendary Ace Attorney Phoenix Wright.

(audience laughing)

I don't know who put these on the lowest spot in the wall, but whoever that is, someone must have developed a deep-rooted hatred among CAPCOM babes.

(audience laughing)

OBJECTION! Oops, sorry, didn't meant to say that line. Sucks being a fan of the franchise. He he he...

Yeah right. Looks like you've been digging too much Ace Attorney stuff. So, what should we do know Mr. I-am-about-to-get-sued?


Laala Manaka

This idol girl. I don't know who that is. Do you know who's that idol girl?

Think so. It's...Laala Manaka? From Pripara?

Pripara?!

Looks like your love for idol anime has gone one step further and now thanks to your newly found obsession with Pripara, you found yourself hanging with the Pripara heroine herself.

Laala. She's just your average little girl but she's doing her best to become the best idol. Hmmm, kinda reminds me of Aikatsu but...these two idol anime shows are like the rivalry equivalent of Pokemon and Yokai Watch.

What do you mean?

Think about it, shows like Aikatsu and Pripara, they're made for the little girls, while shows like Pokemon and Yokai Watch, meanwhile, it's just for the little boys.

I see. They're all kids shows, I presume. So, thoughts on Laala?

Well, she's just like any other idol girls in anime, standing tall to reach the top of her stardom. For that, I know where to put here in the Cute Wall which is none other than...CUTE.

(audience laughing, then applause)

Cute, huh? Okay then. If Laala's deserved to be cute, be my guest.

So, who's next?


The Powerpuff Girls


Wait...I remember those three...it's the Powerpuff Girls!

(applause)

Yes. It's The Powerpuff Girls. We used to watch those when we are young and now, they recently returned with a brand new show.

It's a great thing this show is back in its classic looks with modern feel to the famed cartoon. I mean, it's fantastic to see Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup back on the telly again.

Indeed. Back and cuter than ever.

Cute it is. However...only one of the PPG is considered SERIOUSLY NOT CUTE and I know who that is.

Who is it?

Of course. I know who's SERIOUSLY NOT CUTE. It's Buttercup!

(audience laughing)

Buttercup's a toughie and all tough girls are not cute, you know.

Some fans think Buttercup's cute.

Not for me, it isn't. You know that Buttercup loves kicking butts because she's the toughest of the three and like I said. I should put Buttercup in SERIOUSLY NOT CUTE. Also, I don't find Blossom to be cute.

(audience laughing)
Eh?!

I always thought I respect Blossom because she's the smartest and the leader of the pack but...all that jibber-jabber really bores me so...NOT CUTE for Blossom.

(audience laughing)

Don't tell me, you're going to put Bubbles in...

CUTE.

CUTE?!

Yes. Cute. Because Bubbles is the cutest of the three and if you people are asking why the new PPG show is considered a cute show to watch, best to consider that Blossom's NOT CUTE, Buttercup's SERIOUSLY NOT CUTE, and Bubbles' CUTE. End of discussion.

(audience laughing)

You know, we haven't talk about the Million Live girls yet.

Million Live? Did you mean THE IDOLM@STER MILLION LIVE?

Yes. IM@S Million Live. Last year, we had the original 765 PRO girls as well as the Cinderella Girls back at the CUTE WALL, not to mention why putting both Haruka and Uzuki at the top of the Cute Wall that is NAKAKAGIGIL by the way.

I remember that but do me a favor, will ya? Because I am not heavily interested with the whole Million Live crud, care if you can put most of Million Live's best alongside with the Ace Attorney babes...wha?

Oh no! Someone put Mia's name on it...on the SERIOUSLY NOT CUTE!

(audience laughing)

It's a posthumus nightmare! And there's a new name I'm not familiar of...

Hmmm...Rayfa Padma Khura'in. Who's Rayfa?

(audience murmuring)

Rayfa? She's the new Ace Attorney babe? 



Indeed, she is. She's Rayfa, in the upcoming Ace Attorney Spirit of Justice game. She is the priestess who uses Divination Seance to witness the slain victims' final moments before their death, which makes her somewhat one of the key characters in Phoenix Wright's new chapter. Anyway, who would rather put her in the SERIOUSLY NOT CUTE spot right next to...IDOLM@STER's Takane Shijou?

Perhaps she reminded me of my...princess.

(audience laughing)

Reminded you of Takane, I suppose. Anyway...(struggling) I can't take her off from the SERIOUSLY NOT CUTE spot. Someone must have put Mighty Bond on her.

(audience laughing)

Agh. Let's forget about it because someone who has hatred among CAPCOM babes really want a piece of us. Anyway, where was I, oh yeah! About those Million Live girls you were talking about.

Like I said. Million Live's finest; Mirai Kasuga, Shizuka Mogami, Tsubasa Ibuki, Shiho Kitazawa, Umi Kousaka, Julia, Megumi Tokoro, Yuriko Nanao, Serika Hakozaki, Anna Mochizuki, Kana Yabuki, and Nao Yokoyama.

So...uh...what would want me to do with those?

Put them to...NOT CUTE.

(gun clicks, gunshot)

Just like that.

(audience laughing)

TIME FOR THE RECAP!

SERIOUSLY NOT CUTE:
Raichu
Whisper
Minion
Nico Yazawa
Takane Shijou
Azusa Miura
Makoto Kikuchi
Anzu Futaba
Croagunk
Touma Amagase
Shota Mitarai
Hokuto Ijuin
Teru Tendo
Kaoru Sakuraba
Tsubasa Kashikawa
Kyouji Takajou
Minori Watanabe
Kyosuke Aoi
Yusuke Aoi
Shiki Iseya
Haruna Wakazato
Hayato Akiyama
Jun Fuyumi
Natsuki Sakaki
Rui Maita
Chio Hazama
Jiro Yamashita
Treecko
Jill Valentine
Rebecca Chambers
Claire Redfield
Ada Wong
Ashley Graham
Sheva Alomar
Helena Harper
Sherry Birkin
Moira Burton
Natalia Korda
Osomatsu
Karamatsu
Choromatsu
Ichimatsu
Jyuushimatsu
Todomatsu
Miyabi Fujiwara
Risa Shirakaba
Rin Kurosawa
*Mia Fey
*Rayfa Padma Khura'in
*Buttercup

NOT CUTE:
Dopey
Kwazii
Minion
Amethyst
Rin Hoshizora
Hibiki Ganaha
Minami Nitta
Ranko Kanzaki
Miku Maekawa
Kion
Fuli
Beshte
Bunga
Ono
Pierre
Scraggy
Bulbasaur
Squirtle
Cyndaquil
Turtwig
Sumire Hikami
Juri Kurebayashi
Nono Daichi
Hime Shiratori
Tsubasa Kisaragi
Yuzu Nikaido
Yozora Kasumi
*Maya Fey
*Pearl Fey
*Ema Skye
*Trucy Wright
*Kay Faraday
*Athena Cykes
*Blossom
*Mirai Kasuga
*Shizuka Mogami
*Tsubasa Ibuki
*Shiho Kitazawa
*Umi Kousaka
*Julia
*Megumi Tokoro
*Yuriko Nanao
*Serika Hakozaki
*Anna Mochizuki
*Kana Yabuki
*Nao Yokoyama

CUTE:
Pichu
Plusle
Minun
Pachirisu
Emolga
Dedenne
Mokona
Mog
Catbug
Bashful
Froakie
Fennekin
Harukasan
Stuffy
Tunip the Vegimal
Minccino
Piplup
Sylveon
Queen Delightful
Axew
Jibanyan
Minion
Serena's Pancham
Umi Sonoda
Eli Ayase
Hanayo Koizumi
Maki Nishikino
Nozomi Tojo
Miki Hoshii
Yukiho Hagiwara
Iori Minase
Ritsuko Akizuki
Anastasia
Kanako Mimura
Chieri Ogata
Miria Akagi
Rika Jougasaki
Kirari Moroboshi
Riina Tada
Rin Shibuya
Mio Honda
Komasan
Komajiro
Grizz
Panda
Ice Bear
Clefairy
Jigglypuff
Chansey
Eevee
Tepig
Snivy
Chikorita
Charmander
Totodile
Torchic
Mudkip
Chimchar
Hinaki Shinjo
Madoka Amahana
Kokone Kurisu
Nina Dojima
Yume Njino
Rola Sakuraba
*Laala Manaka
*Bubbles


NAKAKAGIGIL!!!:
Pikachu
BMO
Bijou
Poof
George
Happy
Chespin
Doc McStuffins
Mabel Pines
Sofia
Cottonee
Minion
Oshawott
Star Butterfly
Honoka Kousaka
Kotori Minami
Haruka Amami
Yayoi Takatsuki
Chihaya Kisaragi
Ami Futami
Mami Futami
Uzuki Shimamura
Noibat
Togepi
Squishy
Ichigo Hoshimiya
Aoi Kiriya
Ran Shibuki
Akari Ozora
Braixen

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Russia pressures N. Korea


Russia pressures North Korea to refrain from military activity and has called on South Korea and the SU to do the same, as it holds up adoption of a UN Security Council press statement condemning North Korea's launch of mid-range ballistic missiles last month.

Speaking at a regular briefing on Thursday, Russia's foreign ministry said Moscow supports the current US sanctions against the Korean Peninsula for its nuclear tests and missile launches, and all related nations should avoid aggravating tensions on North Korea and instead follow a path of political and diplomatic resolution.

Source: Arirang News

Let's Do The News! (May 13, 2016)


- The Chinese Foreign Ministry sees immediate resolution of the territorial disputes with the Philippines under the administration of presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte, particularly in exploring fishery agreement among claimants. The Ministry said they are looking forward to a sound and stable development of the two countries that would ensure regional peace and stability in the region.

- The top generals from China and the United States say they're ready to work out an effective mechanism to prevent confrontation and maintain stability in the South China Sea. China's Defense Ministry says the Chief of the General Staff Fang Fenghui told Chairman of the US JCS Joseph Dunford in a video conference that China values freedom of navigation "more than any other country in the world".

- The National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) complained about not being given full access to the random manual audit currently being conducted by local precincts. About 715 precincts ordered to conduct an RMA, majority have submitted their reports, according to NAMFREL, but some election officers in Lanao, Manila, and Paranaque said they weren't aware about the audit.

- Brazilian Vice President Michel Temer has inaugurated his cabinet in the wake of President Dilma Rousseff's suspension from office. At a news conference, Temer's top priority is to tackle the economic crisis now facing Brazil. Earlier, the Senate decided by a majority vote to hold an impeachment trial for Rousseff for alleged manipulation of government accounts, suspending her from office for up to 180 days. As interim leader, Temer is expected to face challenges from the Zika outbreak and the Rio Olympics in August.

- At the Anti-Corruption Summit in London, participants have confirmed they will cooperate to increase transparency in tax havens. British PM David Cameron hosted the meeting and stressed that anti-corruption measures are indispensable for tackling this issue. Participants confirmed they will cooperate to return illicit funds to countries of origin.

- Susannah Mushatt Jones, the oldest person in the world, died in New York at the age of 116. Jones once named as the world's oldest person by Guinness World Records when 117-year-old Misao Okawa died in Tokyo last year. Which means, the title unofficially claimed by 116-year-old Emma Morano from Italy.

- French authorities have opened an investigation after a teenager allegedly live-streamed her suicide video on the popular app Periscope. The prosecutor said the young woman threw herself under a commuter train in the suburban Egly station, south of Paris, after claiming she had been raped by her ex-boyfriend. The prosecutor's statement said the woman was born in 1997, so she was 18 or 19.

- Amid the recent fuel consumption scandal, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. acquired 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors.

- Volvo is teasing a mysterious concept car, set to be revealed at an event in Gothenburg next week.


- The hybrid car for otakus, the Toyota Aqua, gets a special Style Black model in honor of one million units sold in Japan.

- The first trailer of the movie adaptation of Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed franchise, starring Michael Fassbender, is now up. Michael plays as a criminal named Callum Lynch who tries to take on an organization during the days of the Spanish Inquisition. He later knows that he has a bloodline traces back to the legendary Assassin Aguilar and he has to learn the art of being one in order to fight off against his adversaries. The movie is slated to show in theaters in the 21st of December.


TTFN!!

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Let's Do The News! (May 12, 2016)



- With Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte won the Philippine Elections, lawmakers can expect an independent Senate that can have a working relationship with him. While they kept mum on the possible changes in the next composition of the chamber, incumbent Senate President Frank Drilon and reelected Senator Tito Sotto assured Duterte that the Senate will cooperate with him.

- Supporters of Vice Presidentiable Senator Bongbong Marcos staged a protest at Rizal Park to express solidarity with him. The son of the infamous dictator Ferdinand Marcos has accused the Aquino administration of rigging election results in favor of its candidate, Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo, in the heated vice presidential race. The administration denied this.

- A Magnitude 5.6 earthquake rattled the northeast coast of Taiwan, following with strong aftershocks. The quake struck at a depth of 10km at 1117 hours local time, according to the USGS, just east of the coastal city of Yilan, 60km from Taipei. There were reports of light damage according to Yilan fire department.

- About 89 people were reportedly killed from series of explosions in Baghdad, Iraq. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks.

- A former head of Britain's national intelligence agency MI5 warned Wednesday against the prospect of leaving the European Union, saying it would weaken the country at a time of increased threats. Eliza Manningham-Buller, who headed MI5 from 2002 to 2007, said that UK is safer in the EU. Numerous current and former security officials have spoken out in favor of a "remain" vote in Britain's June 23 membership referendum but some have said the country could be safer outside the EU.

- The CEO of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia committee says there hasn't been state-sponsored doping in the country, disputing a key finding of a World Anti-Doping Agency Investigation. WADA commission head Dick Pound said last year that Russia seemed to have been sporting a "state-sponsored" doping program in track and field, but the World Cup committee chief Alexey Sorokin says "it's not like it’s claimed occasionally — that it’s part of a national policy. On the contrary, it’s been said publicly that our policy is no tolerance against doping.”

- A group of nine climbers made it to the top of Mount Everest on Wednesday, marking them the first few to climb atop after series of disasters closed this mountain two years ago. The group reached the summit at 5:02PM, an official at the Department of Tourism, told Post over phone from Everest Base Camp.

- The brand new Top Gear is set to air on BBC Two and BBC Two HD this 29th of May, 2016.



- After the success of the 2015 Need For Speed game, the next game of EA's hit racing franchise is due 2017.

- Check out the new look of the popular Instagram social-networking app. Apart from its new logo, the new Instagram features a simplified app designed, puts more focus on the photos and videos without changing how users navigate the app.


- Today is AlDub's 43rd Weeksary on the latest Eat Bulaga Kalyeserye, and while Lola Nidora's moping in sadness, AlDub showcased their footage from takeoff to their Oman stopover!



TTFN!!!

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: South Korea rejects Kim Jong-un's calls for military talks


Seoul's Unification Ministry's spokesman said Wednesday South Korea does not consider North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's recent calls for military talks as being a formal offer to engage in cross-border dialogue.

Following the N. Korean leader raised the prospects for a resumption of long-dormant inter-Korean talks at North Korea's high-profile Workers' Party of Korea congress that ended Monday, the official said that Kim Jong-un’s remarks are only an expression of North Korea's perception of the current reality and its position on it, again ruling out the possibility of bilateral talks.

Source: Arirang News

Clarkson, Hammond, and May's Amazon Original titled The Grand Tour!

The Grand Tour

It's been a year since the former Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May announced that they are working for a new show via Amazon Prime this 2016 but the trio are having difficulties finding a new name for their new show.

But now, a miracle just happened because after several bad puns later, Clarkson, Hammond, and May finally announced the name for their new Amazon original series. It's titled "The Grand Tour".

Slated to hit Amazon Prime subscribers this autumn, The Grand Tour is an automotive show where Clarkson, Hammond, and May will venture through different corners of the world just for their love affair with motoring. There will be fast cars, dangerous stunts, and brash talking occurred but hey, their legendary antics will kind of remind them of their TG years.

The Grand Tour is coming to Amazon Prime subscribers on Fall 2016.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Philippine Elections 2016 (UPDATE 6)



The story so far on the 2016 Philippine Elections...


  • President-elect Rodrigo Duterte will put Freedom Of Information a top priority once he assumes office. The trash-talking Davao City mayor said that if Congress doesn't want to pass the FOI bill, he will start progressively. Despite fighting back against the media during an interview with Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, Duterte said press freedom under his government will be expanded.
  • COMELEC will hold a May 14 special elections for over 50 clustered precincts where failure of elections was declared under the Resolution no. 10129. About 17,657 voters were affected by the election failures in clustered precincts.
  • COMELEC appealed to the media to give it time to look into Bongbong Marcos' accusations that its transparency server has been tampered. An hour before canvassing was adjourned, Marcos' camp released a statement claiming that a "new script or computer command was introduced to the transparency server".
  • Initial vote tallies from at least three Cagayan towns on Wednesday were found to be figures from mock elections conducted three months ago and officials said this could affect the standing of the province's winners.

Over a thousand planets discovered by the Kepler Mission


Big fan of space? Well, you may not going to believe this because the Kepler Mission from NASA verified that it discovered a record-breaking 1,284 new planets, making it the single largest finding of planets to date.

The analysis was done on the Kepler telescope's July 2015 planet candidate catalog, which identified 4,302 potential planets. For 1,284 of the candidates, the probability of being a planet is over 99%, which is a minimum required to earn its planetary status. Although the additional 1,327 candidates are more likely to be classified as a planet, they never meet the 99% criteria and will require additional study. The remaining 707 are more likely to be some other astrophysical phenomena.

NASA astronomers state that out of the 1,284 new planets outside the solar system, nine of them may be able to support life like that on Earth.

With this discovery, the number of confirmed exoplanets is now over 3,200. 21 of them are believed to be Earth-like.

Let's Do The News! (May 11, 2016)


- Japanese are welcoming US President Barack Obama's decision to visit Hiroshima, and those who are interviewed said they aren't seeking an apology. After attending the annual G7 Summit, the US President plans to stop at a war memorial for victims of the 1945 bombing. Obama will be the first sitting American president to visit Hiroshima, a city almost entirely destroyed by an American atomic bomb in the last days of the Second World War.

- Abu Sayyaf's threat to execute four Malaysian hostages in the southern Philippines set an early May deadline for talks to begin for their release. The anti-kidnapping activist Professor Octavio Dinampo said killing captives appeared to be easier for the gunmen now, following the beheading of Malaysian Bernard Then last November and Canadian John Ridsdel last month in Jolo.

- A car bomb explosion in a commercial, predominantly Shiite neighborhood in Baghdad, Iraq, killed at least 14 people. A police officer says the bomb went off Wednesday morning at a crowded outdoor market in the eastern district of Sadr City. About 40 people were injured but the death toll is expected to increase.

- Onto the latest presidential primary and because of Donald Trump's presumptive nominee as the Republican candidate for presidency, focus turns to the Democrats because here in West Virginia, candidate Bernie Sanders scored another win with 15% of the votes ahead of frontrunner Hillary Clinton. The delegate results show that despite Sanders' recent win, he's still 770 delegates short of Clinton.

- Australian authorities have arrested five men on suspicion of plotting to sail to Syria to join the Islamic State militants. Men, aged 21 to 33, apparently planned to reach Syria via Indonesia and the Philippines on a boat they bought in their hometown of Melbourne.

- See how the hardcore Pagani Huayra BC handles snowy conditions.



- Volkswagen Group says they are readying a solution on 85,000 vehicles with 3.0L diesel engine affected by the cheating software. The solution; a new software and catalytic converters.

- Pokemon Sun and Moon is set for worldwide release on the Nintendo 3DS/2DS this 18th of November and let's get to meet the three all new starter Pokemons from the Alola region. Say hello to the Grass-and Flying Type Rowlet, the Fire Type Litten, and the Water Type Popplio!

Alola Starters in Pokemon Sun and Moon
- Bikes themed after the characters from the new motorcycle anime Bakuon!! will be finally available beginning this June. This is the big chance for fans to own a Bakuon-themed bike in their garage. There's a Yamaha YZF-R25 -Onsa Amano-, Kawasaki Ninja 250SE -Raimu-, and the Honda CB400SF -Sakura Hane-. Which Bakuon-theme will you pick?

- In case you missed the recent Eat Bulaga Kalyeserye, oh no! Looks like Lola Nidora can't stand her loneliness over AlDub. Tinidora and Yaya Glo tried to cheer her up but luckily, Alden contacted Lola Nidora. However, that call wasn't enough...



TTFN!!!

New Chrysler Pacifica

Chrysler has been one of the forefathers of the minivan category since the 20th century and with today's economic climate, as well as the rise of the crossovers, it seems that Chrysler is the only American car company in history to offer a minivan in the USA and now, they're redefining the nearly-extinct category with their brand new Pacifica.

2017 Chrysler Pacifica

The Pacifica name is nothing new to Chrysler. Back in the mid-2000's, the Pacifica name was once used for their lackluster crossover. Now, Chrysler brought back the Pacifica name in an all-new minivan served as a replacement to the Town and Country. Seems that Chrysler really knows how they brought the Pacifica name back very well, knowing that minivans will soon uprise against the pointless crossovers.

Speaking of which, the new Pacifica is nothing more of a punishment for men who ended up marrying a woman, having kids, and stuck at the suburbs for the rest of their lives. Of course, since this is a minivan fit for all the nevers in life, life of being a workaholic dad is a bit of a harsh reality because being a dad means the cars you will be driving are nothing more than multipurposes. Sucks being a married man having kids and living in a suburbs, eh? Anyway, what's what about the Pacifica?

2017 Chrysler Pacifica interior
2017 Chrysler Pacifica interior

Even though the design is a major improvement from the lackluster but legendary Town & Country, the new Pacifica feels like if the Chrysler 200 has been enlarged, perhaps it's gone obese by fate. Inside, thanks to its all-new platform, getting in and out from the Pacifica gets even more generous than most minivans with difficult ways to get through the third-row seats. As a matter of fact, the third-row seating is much more rewarding than most minivans as long as someone ask you to seat in the back and hopefully you don't get stuck in the middle.

By surprise, the Pacifica has concessions of comfort and convenience that will keep you entertained during a long road trip. It even comes with a rear-seat entertainment system with built-in games, apps, USB video & HDMI inputs, and DVD/Blu-Ray player. As for sound, the Pacifica is available with a 20-speaker Harman Kardon Premium Sound System to deliver the best sound quality as you expect from a first-class flight. With so much stuff like these, the Pacifica makes passengers feel like they're on a first class flight. If you didn't consider this to be a family car, the Pacifica makes a perfect chauffeur-driven vehicle similar to Toyota's Alphard, Nissan's Elgrand, and Honda's Odyssey.

One feature that will surprise owners is the new Pacifica stole a certain idea from Ford and that is the one where the rear door can be opened hands-free with the lift of your foot, which is great if your hands are full. However, that hands-free opening isn't limited to the rear door because even sliding doors can join the ease of access bandwagon as well.

Because the Pacifica vows to be the most technologically-advanced minivan in the market, it's been festooned with numerous features available such as the 360-degree surround view camera, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, and so much more. That's a lot of thought goes into that.

2017 Chrysler Pacifica

What about driving? Well, at launch, the Pacifica comes exclusively with a 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine which produces 287 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, while mated with the 948TE nine-speed automatic transmission, and it has an EPA-estimated fuel consumption of 28 MPG highway. Of course, that doesn't stop here because later on, there will be a PHEV variant called the Pacifica Hybrid, which promises up to 80 MPGe of fuel economy. Anyway, as for the dynamics, the new Pacifica feels as nice and cozy to drive as a family car and despite being a minivan, it handles and feels like a midsize saloon. Not too shabby huh, but don't think this is an enjoyable car to drive because being a family mover, the Pacifica is not made to thrash around for fun. This is as serious as a salaryman at work, even with the most clever suspension setup ever made for an American minivan.

Should you buy one? The Chrysler Pacifica starts at $28,595 and if I can think of a proper rival for this car, it would be a Kia Carnival, which starts at $26,400, so it's almost two thousand two hundred dollars more expensive to own but don't mind the pricing because the Pacifica is the first and the last of the American-made minivans to own and don't expect seeing one landing in other countries soon because unlike the old Town and Country, the new Pacifica will be exclusive to North America. So, if you ended up being married, had kids, and stuck in the suburbs, perhaps you may consider this minivan your eternal punishment...minus the eternal part.

Available colors: Velvet Red Pearl Coat, Granite Crystal Metallic Clear Coat, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat, Bright White Clear Coat, Molten Silver, Jazz Blue Pearl, Billet Silver Metallic Pearl Clear Coat, Tusk White Pearl Coat, and Dark Cordovan.

Photo: Chrysler Group, LLC

Genki Zenkai DAY! DAY! DAY!

Uranohoshi Girls High School's idol unit, Aqours, from Love Live! Sunshine!!, the second generation of the Love Live franchise, is divided into three sub-groups in tradition of what the legendary μ's did with Printemps, lily white, and BiBi. First, there's CYaRon! comprising of Chika Takami, You Watanabe, and Ruby Kurosawa. Then, there's Azalea comprising of Kanan Matsuura, Dia Kurosawa, and Hanamaru Kunikida, And finally, Guilty Kiss comprising of Riko Sakurauchi, Yoshiko Tsushima, and Mari Ohara.

Genki Zenkai DAY! DAY! DAY!


This is the first offering from Aqours' CYaRon. Titled Genki Zenkai DAY! DAY! DAY!, fans are ready to experience the first of their trio offerings from Uranohoshi Girls High's finest. Of course, since CYaRon is all about Chika, You, and Ruby, feel free to think of this as an introduction to one of Aqours' sub-units as Lovelivers are prepping up for bigger things to come for Aqours, especially the TV series due in summer.

Apart from the two songs offered in CYaRon's first single, there's a drama part where listeners are joining to a brand new adventure for Chika Takami, You Watanabe, and Ruby Kurosawa. The fun doesn't stop here because look out for AZALEA's first single coming this late May following with Guilty Kiss's first single due early June.

TRACK LISTINGS:

01. 元気全開DAY! DAY! DAY!
02. 夜空はなんでも知ってるの?
03. 元気全開DAY! DAY! DAY! (Off Vocal)
04. 夜空はなんでも知ってるの? (Off Vocal)
05. 松月(パインムーン)をさがして❤

Philippine Elections 2016 (UPDATE 5)



The story so far on the 2016 Philippine Elections...


  • Geraldine Roman, age 49, made history as the first transgender woman politician to be elected for a seat in Congress after proclaimed by COMELEC as representative in the first congressional district, after garnering 106,015 votes against the 64,643 cast for Hermosa Mayor Danilo Malana of Aksyon Demokratiko.
  • Presumptive President-elect Rodrigo Duterte said he would settle the South China Sea dispute with multilateral talks that would include allies United States and Australia, and the claimant nations against China.
  • Former boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao presumptively won a seat to the Senate based on the election results. He placed eighth out of a field of 50 candidates in a national race where the top 12 vie for the upper house, a powerful legislative body that has often served as a springboard to office.
  • The board of canvasses of Mountain Province proclaimed that Kathy Jyll Mayaen, the daughter of the late governor Leonard Mayaen, as the provinces' new chief executive on Tuesday night despite questions on her substitution for her father. Mayaen filed her COC last week seeking as a replacement to her father, who ran independently until he passed away from a heart failure on the 31st of March.
  • The United States government said it was keen to work with Rodrigo Duterte, who emerged as the clear winner in the Philippine presidential elections,
  • Rodrigo Duterte promises that he will never use bad words to the public, now that he's guaranteed to take control of the Philippines as the new leader.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Workers' Party Congress ends


North Korea held a ceremony to mark the end of its Workers' PArty congress, the first in over three decades. The closing ceremony kicked off at 1025 hours, local time, at Kim Il-Sung Square in Pyongyang. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was greeted by ten thousands of residents while being bestowed with the newly-created title.

North Korea's Korean Central Television reported that Kim Jong-un was elected as chairman of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea and his promotion is seen as a move to dominate the party and solidify his power.

Also, the congress elected two more standing members of the ruling party's political bureau, Pak Pong-ju and Choe Ryong-hae, raising the number of the standing members to five including the North Korean leader, Kim Yong-nam, and Hwang Pyong-seo.

Source: Arirang News

Let's Do The News! (May 10, 2016)


- A group of international journalists has published the names of companies and individuals behind over 200,000 offshore accounts in the Panama Papers. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists uncovered a database with information on nearly 214,000 offshore entities. They were created in 21 countries and territories through Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.

- The acting speaker of Brazil's lower house cancelled the key impeachment vote by the chamber against President Dilma Rousseff. The recent announcement threatens to plunge the South American nation further into political turmoil. Rousseff faces impeachment for allegedly manipulating government accounts. Acting lower house speaker Waldir Maranhao said the vote last month to proceed had problems and should be revised.

- The Japanese government has decided to issue an action plan at the G7 Summit later this month to combat corruption. The government decided to include the policies in the leaders' joint declaration as an attachment, as the Panama Papers on secret offshore accounts has garnered much global attention. The plan calls for tough measures against tax evasion, including the disclosure of owners of companies established for reducing tax payments.

- The quake-hit Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan is eligible for state-run reconstruction and repair, according to the Japanese government. This means the quake-hit area can ask the government to take charge of rebuilding roads, bridges and tunnels on its behalf. Government officials will plan and order the work, lessening the prefecture's burden of finding engineers who can handle bigger projects.

- France has restored to its rightful owners a drawing of Edgar Degas that was stolen by the Nazis from its Jewish owner in 1940. In a moving ceremony in Paris, Culture Minister Audrey Azoulay said that the late 19th-century charcoal sketch of three ballerinas called "Trois danseuses en buste" was found in 1951 in a cupboard in the Occupation-era German embassy. It had since remained unclaimed in the Louvre.

- Artist Megumi Igarashi (pen name Rokudenashiko) was found guilty of breaking Japan's obscenity laws in Tokyo court on Monday. The 44-year-old female actress was arrested two years ago for disturbing 3D printer data of her own under part of her body as part of a backer reward for her crowdfunding campaign to construct something. Igarashi always maintained that her work is not obscene.

- After months of auditions, reports told that a 26-year-old Alden Ehrenreich, as seen in the Hail, Caesar! film, is set to play as the young Han Solo in the upcoming Star Wars spinoff. Shooting will commence next month with the film slated for 2018 release.

- Buick to discontinue the Verano midsize saloon by 2017 despite strong sales, probably because of the rising crossover sales.

- Check out the latest Fast & Furious 8 behind the scenes clip where the gang shooting scenes at Cuba.



- "Abandon hope, all ye who enter". Tom Hanks returns as Robert Langdon in the upcoming movie adaptation of Dan Brown's Inferno, the third chapter of The Da Vinci Code saga. In the film, Langdon woke up in a hospital with no memories at all. With the help of a certain doctor, played by Felicity Jones, Langdon must recover his memory while trying to avert a global cataclysm broadly similar from the passages of Dante's Divine Comedy. It will hit US theaters on the 28th of October.



TTFN!!!

Forza Motorsport 6: Heart Pounding. By Design

With the arrival of the all-new Ford Focus RS in Forza Motorsport 6 via the Hot Wheels Car Pack, Forza fans can finally gain access to the long-awaited hot hatch that Ford Performance ever launched to a global scale, including the US. It's been worth the wait to see the new Focus RS coming to Forza 6 and truth be told, this car should have been placed in the game since day one.


Ford unveiled their most powerful Focus yet, the all-new third-generation Ford Focus RS, at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, and this is one of the many performance cars launched by the newly merged Ford Performance division.

The all-new Ford Focus RS features a upgraded version of the 2.3L EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine sourced from the sixth-generation Ford Mustang, which produces 350HP of power and same amount for torque.

The drivetrain is now upgraded from the former's front-wheel drive to Ford's brand new Torque-Vectoring All-Wheel-Drive system with Drive Modes, including the new Drift Mode for better oversteer drifts, and Launch Control. Mated exclusively with a 6-speed gearbox, it's capable of reaching 0-100kph in 4.7 seconds.

The Ford Focus RS is now offered exclusively, for the first time, as a 5-door hatchback and also, it's available to the USA starting at $35,900.



It's a good job Ford finally selling the all-new Focus RS to the American market. In fact, this is definitely the hot Focus the Americans have been demanding for since forever when the Americans realized that the previous generation Focus offered in the US doesn't look as good as the previous generation Focus sold outside the US. With the third-generation Focus sold globally under the One Ford approach, the dream of seeing a third-generation Focus RS as a globally-competitive hot hatch that can be sold not just the US but the rest of the world, has became a self-fulfilled prophecy from Ford's right.

About how the Focus RS featured in-game. You see, prior to its launch, there was a specially-designed Ford Focus RS with the Forza 6 front cover painted all over on display at the gamescom 2015, drawing much speculation that the new Ford Focus RS might make it to the car roster of FM6 at launch. However, that car never made it on launch day, not even last November when Forza fans complained that the new Focus RS became an EA exclusivity when it got featured in the 2015 Need For Speed game. Talk about unfair competition, eh?

Well, you get the picture, but the wait is truly over because we finally got our hands on the all-new Focus RS. So, thoughts on the new RS? Well, even though it's now a 4WD hoonigan, this is still a hot hatch made to be an accessible, all-weather, track weapon. You can still feel its mild but tangy behavior beneath its new drivetrain but what matters most is, almost everyone can have fun in this ultra-powerful hot hatchback that requires a few effort to slip through corners with ease. It can be somewhat slouchy at first but don't worry, you'll get used to it as long as you drive this car harder and longer.


Since this is an entirely new car, I think it might be best to find out if this new Focus RS is worth the improvement compared to the past Focus RS models in its lifespan and to find out, I went to the Top Gear Test Track and gather every single Focus RS in history to see if the all-new Focus RS is an overall improvement through its lifetime.



Meeting its ancestors can be so much fun but comparing against its ancestors to see how much it's been grown can also be so much fun. So, without further ado, time to get these machines rolling...



And now, the results...

1:31.678 - 1st Focus RS
1:29.327 - 2nd Focus RS
1:25.685 - 3rd Focus RS


It's a clear statement that the Ford Focus RS evolved through the years and with this latest model, Ford made the new Focus RS the best Focus ever made and between you and I, this long-awaited hot hatch deserves a quick pat at the rear door because of how cool this hatchback performs. You can thank Ford for making the Focus RS available in the USA and you can thank the producers for featuring this car on FM6 via a car pack.

The Focus RS; Heart Pounding. By Design

Philippine Elections 2016 (UPDATE 4)



The story so far on the 2016 Philippine Elections...

  • Liberal Party presidential aspirant Mar Roxas concedes defeat to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, whose unofficial tallies made the controversial candidate the presumptive winner.
  • Historically, the number of votes Rody Duterte gained, which is 41,752,443 votes counted, surpassed the number of votes President Benigno Aquino III got six years ago.
  • As Vice Presidential candidate Chiz Escudero concedes his defeat, Chiz pleads the public to give the incoming (Duterte administration) a chance.
  • Actor Richard Gomez won the mayoral elections in Leyte.
  • Another election-related violence occurred as a volunteer of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting transporting elections returns was killed in an ambush in Pagadian City before dawn Tuesday. The volunteer identified as Adela Elmida and she was killed by unknown assailants while on her way to a freight company to deliver election returns at 0400 hours. Her 12-year-old daughter survived the ambushed but was hurt.
  • Jaime Fresnedi was proclaimed winner of the mayoral race in Muntinlupa City despite the protests by supporters of his rival Aldrin San Pedro.
  • Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, despite his impressive lead in the presidential race, visited his parents' grave and wept uncontrollably. According to his sect leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy on a TV show, Duterte proceeded to the Davao public cemetery to see his parents' grave past 0300 hours, local time. Duterte's father was a governor of the still-undivided Davao del Sur while his mother was a teacher.
...more to come.

Philippine Elections 2016 (UPDATE 3)



The story so far on the 2016 Philippine Elections...

  • Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was leading the presidential race in a partial, unofficial results with over 14 million votes counted, twice as what rivals Mar Roxas and Grace Poe had.
  • Grace Poe concedes her defeat to Duterte.
  • Four persons were arrested on Monday, after they were caught carrying firearms and drug paraphernalia at a checkpoint along the national highway of South Poblacion, San Fernando town.
  • A village chief was arrested due to his accusations of engaging in vote-buying. Salvador Misca, age 47, the Baranga Pigsag-an chair and an alleged supporter of returning mayor Vicente Emano, was arrested by the Lumbia police and Tactical Operations Group-10 on Sunday evening. Reports state that Misca was caught in the act of vote-buying.
  • In the Vice-Presidential race, Leni Robredo and Bongbong Marcos, the son of the infamous dictator Ferdinand Marco, is on a neck-and-neck race as partial, unofficial results, see these two candidates edging themselves out.
  • About 150 vote counting machines were reportedly broken and voters complained of long wait. Despite problems, the election proceeds smoothly as planned.
...more to come at a later time.

Monday, May 9, 2016

Philippine Elections 2016 (UPDATE 2)



The story so far on the 2016 Philippine Elections...


  • Voting hours will be extended until 6:00PM in areas where polling precincts opened past 9:00AM according to COMELEC. The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) states the firewall would be brought down so that it could start transmitting tallies. The PPCRV also expresses worries over reports of disenfranchisement and urged voters to go to their precincts before the deadline.
  • Vice presidential candidate Senator Gregorio Honasan called on Filipinos to unite regardless of the results of the 2016 polls. Honasan, Binay's running mate of the United Nationalist Alliance, arrived before the opening of his precinct at the Nativity of Our Lady Parish in Marikina City. After voting, he went around Metro Manila to thank his supporters.
  • No Vote Counting Machines were present in Novotel Manila Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City, according to COMELEC and Smartmatic. After personally visiting and verifying reports that there were VCMs hidden in Novotel near Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas' bailiwick, no such machines were present in the hotel.
...more to come at a later time.