Thursday, July 20, 2017

Opel/Vauxhall Insignia B Grand Sport and Sports Tourer

The Insignia, a favorite among company car drivers and fleet decision makers across Europe, is now on its second generation and it's even more promising than ever thanks to its new look, new interior, new tech, new dynamics, and new engine choices, setting the new gold standard for midsize cars in this ever-changing landscape. So, what's new about the Insignia B range?

2018 Opel Insignia
2018 Vauxhall Insignia
2018 Vauxhall Insignia

The all-new Opel/Vauxhall Insignia range sets the new standards in the executive midsize car market by promising new and exciting features way unheard for most midsize saloons in the market and it promises world-class quality ready for the world's toughest challenges, whatever lay ahead. There are now two styles to choose from such as the Grand Sport fastback and the Sport Tourer and wherever you live, you can see one of these worldwide as either a Buick Regal or Holden Commodore, wait what? 

The new Insignia is the new Commodore in the Aussie market? Sadly, it is and because of Australia stopped making cars at the late quarter of this year, Australians will be getting the new Insignia as their new Holden NG Commodore next year and what does it mean? It's the end of Aussie muscle as we know it but let's not lament on the first-ever front-wheel drive Commodore for the Australian roads. We're talking about Insignia for the European people and in terms of design, there is a high possibility that some people may easily mistake it for a Mazda Atenza because by the looks of it, the new Insignia does look like an Atenza by all means necessary. Because the current Mazda Atenza is a good-looking midsize saloon to look at it, so is the new Insignia and mistaken identity aside, it's still very pleasant to look at one of these on the road and it's now easier to refuel because they have to ditch the old twist-off cap so drivers can refuel it quicker, easier, and without the spills.

2018 Opel Insignia interior

The inside looks rather similar to the outgoing model but because it now runs on a new platform that was used on today's Chevrolet Malibu, it's now surprisingly spacious than before so people at the back can get themselves accommodated and as for boot space, the trunk volume of 490 to 1,450 litres makes it enough to accommodate most of your grocery shopping stuff of the day as well as some stuff your grandma needs such as a walker or a wheelchair. In the Sports Tourer, meanwhile, it's been given more convenient ways to like about its boot space that can accommodate up to 1,665 litres such as the special tailgate that can be opened at the lift of your foot in case your hands are full. Because of such generous space, both the Grand Sport and the Sport Tourer are very accommodating indeed.

Regarding the tech word, both the Insignia Grand Sport and Sport Tourer now come with IntelliLink system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility so no matter your smartphone, these tech saves you more than just distracted driving and for occupants who are so busy doing stuff on their mobile phones, OnStar's 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot is ready for these kinds of people who want to do silly status updates on social media sites. Convenient, isn't it?

2018 Opel Insignia
2018 Opel Insignia

In terms of handling, the new Insignia, apart from its Malibu-derived platform, feels very above average for midsize saloon, in fact it is pretty good indeed for a car made for company car drivers and fleet decision makers but there's a real kicker to this new Insignia because later on, a 4x4 variant with the Torque Vectoring will make the new Insignia range very convincing for a company car because with torque vectoring on a 4x4 Insignia, you might almost have the same driving impression as the Ford Focus RS and that makes it from pretty good to very good if you got the chance to sample its clever four-wheel drive powertrain that works like a Ford Focus RS in every tangible way. Yes, please.

The choice of engines at launch comes with a 1.5L DI Turbo and a 1.5L ECOTEC DI Turbo but later on, a 2.0L turbo, 1.6L diesel (with or without ECOTEC), and a 2.0L diesel may follow, and depending on the choice of engines, they can be mated with either a 6-speed AT, MT, or even an 8-speed AT at a later date. Most of the engines are made out of aluminum and because these engines are very light indeed, they are contributed to such better fuel efficiency fit for today's roads. It may not be much to satisfy your driving style but they're very decent enough for a midsize car like this.

To keep the new Insignia well-suited for today's driving conditions, it's been given a host of safety features such as a brand new 360-degree camera, Rear View Camera, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Advanced Park Assist, Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert, Following Distance Indication, Forward Collision Alert, Traffic Sign Assist, and a wide range of radar and camera-based automatic assistance for a safe driving feel that will satisfy most of health and safety standards.

Should you buy one? The new Insignia starts from 25,940 Euros (17,185 GBP) for the Grand Sport fastback while the Sports Tourer costs 26,940 Euros (18,685 GBP). That sounds like great value for money for a pretty good executive saloon fit enough to become the ideal car for company car drivers and fleet decision makers but the new Insignia is more than just being a company car, it's an ideal family car fit for day-to-day use and it's starting to gain shape with all these new features but demonstrating its world-class capabilities is yet to be seen but I'm sure that for the rest of the world, it feels fine for a midsize saloon of this caliber but for the Australians getting one next year as the new Holden Commodore, that's going to be a very different story that should be taken very seriously.

Photo: Opel/Vauxhall

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Gintama (2017 film)

A favorite from your big sisters' list of favorite anime/manga franchise, Gintama is what happens when Edo Period Japan faced some sort of alien invasion and modernization became part of the everyday life, except for one swordsman recklessly takes on all sorts of problems head-on, with the help of his friends. Think of Gintama like Bleach but it just came and went, which is the sort of thing you like to get into, and with the live-action movie adaptation, some as suspect they're going to treat it like last year's your name.

Gintama (2017 film)



This live-action adaptation of the highly-controversial, yet very successful manga series that spawned five anime seasons as seen on TV Tokyo, features an all-star cast such as Shun Oguri as Gintoki Sakata, Masaki Suda as Shinpachi Shimura, Kanna Hashimoto as Kagura, Masaki Okada as Kotarou Katsura, Masami Nagasawa as Tae Shimura, Tsuyoshi Muro as Gengai Hiraga, Jiro Sato as Henpeita Takechi, Nanao as Matako Kijima, and many other big names in the Japanese showbizness.

With a storyline that sounds almost original compared to the manga franchise it was based upon, this film does show some heart when it comes to jumble different genre to became one of Japan's most-anticipated films of the summer since...er...um...your name. With all that action thriller, slapstick comedy that is beyond Gintama standards, heartfelt drama, suspense, and classic Gintama moments, it's no wonder there are most people got hooked to this film as much as every Gintama episode ever watched talked about even at their own sleep and it's our big sisters to blame for such goodness this film promises.

Because this live-action Gintama film is better than they expected, it's going to be a talk of the town and with upcoming live-action adaptations they're looking forward to like Tokyo Ghoul, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, and Ajin, Gintama takes the cake as one of Japan's best summer blockbuster films and let's see how can they describe how are they going to file the film's coolness in five hundred words or more. Well, they did and the crowd loves it.

My rating: 4.1 out of 5.

2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup - Overton's 301

As summer continues to heats up in the great country of the United States of America, the state of New Hampshire became a battleground for the best NASCAR drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup series and nothing in this summer season is more hotter than seeing drivers engaging on a close-quarters combat to the finish line.


In Lap 40, Eric Jones's #77 got smashed into the wall in turn three while in Lap 75, Martin Truex Jr. cleared the first stage. In Lap 88, the #3 car from Austin Dillon went sideways but it's a near miss for most drivers trying to avoid colliding him. Lap 150 and Kyle Busch cleared Stage 2. 25 laps later, smoke is poured in the #22 car, probably mechanical failures.

After 301 laps in New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin is the winner of the race, making it his 30th Monster Energy series win.

Next race is at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brantley Gilbert Big Machine Brickyard 400 on the 23rd of July.

Let's Do The News! (July 19, 2017)



- President Rodrigo Duterte is hoping that Martial Law in Mindanao will get extended until the end of the year. Thru a letter to Congress, Duterte detailed his desire to extend the Martial Law in Mindanao for six more months.

- 31 individuals were arrested in a one-time big operation due to being involved in crime and violating Caloocan City ordinances. The operation was conducted in four barangays, from Brgy. 117 up to Brgy. 120, of the BMBA Compound and ended at about 2300.

- 10 bus terminals in the stretch of EDSA will be closed by the MMDA due to the violation of the "Nose in, Nose out Policy".

- Communist Party of the Philippines founding Chairman Jose Maria Sison warned that peace talks between the government and their group will fail if the declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao will extend until year's end.

- The Philippine National Police promises to allow the protest movements of militant groups to get near the Batasan Pambansa Complex during President Duterte's second SONA.

- The United States has issued a travel advisory to its citizens currently in the Philippines to avoid Marawi City and Sulu due to kidnapping threat to foreign tourists by terrorists and rebel groups.

- US President Donald Trump's voter commission is now facing at least seven federal lawsuits.

- Mercedes-Benz unveiled their first-ever pickup truck, the X-Class. Based on a Nissan pickup truck, the X-Class comes with three styling packs and a choice from a 2.3L diesel to a V6 diesel with permanent all-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox.

2018 Mercedes-Benz X-Class
- Former Doctor Who David Tennant, Sherlock writer Mark Gatiss, and Game of Thrones' Emilia Clarke are now part of the cast of the upcoming Thunderbirds Are Go animated series, according to reports.

TTFN!!!

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Ssangyong Tivoli Armour

Ssangyong's compact SUV, the Tivoli, is now on its 2018 model year and this time, it's been given a fresh minor change and a new name. Meet the new Tivoli Armour, an updated version of Ssangyong's compact SUV made for individuality.

2018 Ssangyong Tivoli

Of course, the new Tivoli Armour is designed for individuality for new owners looking for something that will suit their style and apart from that redesigned front bumper and some new alloys, customers can personalize their Tivoli Armour just they way they like. In the new GEAR EDITION variant, customers can personalize their Tivoli by the exterior paint, roof paint, outside mirror, hood decals, roof decals, emblems, and a choice of 17 and 18-inch alloys.

2018 Ssangyong Tivoli interior
2018 Ssangyong Tivoli interior

Nothing's new about the interior of the Tivoli, except that it now offers two interior colors such as brown and black. The instrumental panel can be change to up to six different colors while the room temperature can be cool or warm thanks to its climate control, the multimedia system serves more than just music and navigation, the rear seats can be folded for more cargo space, there's so much you can do with it.

It still comes with the same e-XGi160 1.6L petrol engine that develops 126PS of power and 16kg-m of torque but now a 1.6L XDi diesel engine is added but it produces 11ps less than the petrol model, 115PS compared to the previous model's 126PS but torque's 30.6kg-m of torque. The choice of either a 6-speed manual gearbox and a 6-speed automatic remains but the diesel model comes only with an automatic gearbox.

Amazingly, a Smart 4WD System is added on the Tivoli, which can adapt on any road conditions at ease and that's a good thing in case of summer storms.

For safety, the Tivoli Armour now comes with autonomous emergency brake that can brake by itself in an event of a near-collision scenario and apart from this, it also comes with Daytime Running Lamps, Electronic Stability Program, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, and seven airbags.

The facelifted Tivoli starts at 16,510,000 KRW for the petrol and 20,600,000 for the diesel.

Photo: Ssangyong Motor Company

Let's Do The News! (July 18, 2017)



- The Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar expresses hope that President Rodrigo Duterte's State Of The Nation Address next week will be a longer and meaningful speech.

- PISTON Chairman George San Mateo hinted of a possible larger transport strike soon following the rally on Monday in Mendiola, Manila regarding their opposition on the planned PUV modernization of the government. According to the group if they are still neglected by the President they will launch a three-day-transport strike this coming August.

- The Department of Environmental and Natural Resources is currently investigating the claim that an area in Boracay, known for its sanctuary for endangered fruit bats, is being cleared. According to a certain environmentalist group, a certain private developer is clearing the area near the Puka Shell Beach at Barangay Yapak, well known for its sanctuary of the endangered fruit bats. The area was issued a “no-building zone” by the DENR for the growth and inhabitants of the animals.

- Egypt will end visa-free entry for Qatari nationals with some expectations, according to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, the latest measure taken against Doha which Cairo and three Gulf governments are boycotting. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed sanctions on Qatar on June 5, cutting diplomatic and transport ties with the tiny Gulf monarchy, after accusing it of financing militant groups and allying with their regional arch-foe Iran. Doha denies the accusations.

- A centenarian Japanese doctor who saw patients until just months before his death and helped set up the medical systems that have made Japan one of the world's longest-lived nations died on Tuesday at the age of 105.

- Actress Judy Ann Santos is currently earning praises from netizens after she was caught going through her daily grind at the mall sans bodyguard and even obliged fans for selfies.

- During the summer meeting of the National Governors Association, Tesla boss Elon Musk predicts that cars in the next decade will be autonomous.

- A new trailer for the upcoming Blade Runner 2049 film is now up.


TTFN!!!

Monday, July 17, 2017

The Seattle CID DragonFest 2017

It was a sunny weekend at the Seattle Chinatown International District when the annual Dragon Fest, sponsored by our Pacific Northwestern friends from McDonald's, returns to this venue for the best of Asian-American showcase Washingtonians has to offer and this is one of the best events you may have missed during your Seattle summer vacation.

From martial arts, kabuki, Korean folk music, Indian rhythms, Chinese cultural dances, Hawaiian entertainment, anime cosplay, taiko, jazz, Capoeira, and the best of Thailand, this year's Dragon Fest has them all. There's even that $3 food walk for those who want to experience some round the world food adventure that salivated their taste buds and their appetite for this immensive food trip like no other.

Have a look at some of the pics...



More pics: https://www.flickr.com/gp/leopauldelr/6P04G6

Video log:

Let's Do The News! (July 17, 2017)



- PNP Director-General Roland dela Rosa explains why the PNP recommend the extension of Martial Law in Mindanao. The first reason is that narco-politicians helping the Maute are not yet accounted for and second is the spread of loose firearms in Lanao Del Sur and nearby areas that they still have to recover.

- Three inmates were killed while one is injured and 10 others fled after a "mass jailbreak" in Jolo, Sulu last Sunday morning. The jailbreak happened around 0125 after the detainees broke the detention cells and jumped off from the ceiling of the municipal hall. The AFP immediately sent troops and K9 units to chase the escaped members of Abu Sayyaf Group and other illegal drug suspects.

- As Islamic State's reign in Iraq has came to an end, their families fear reprisals as relatives from the fallen militants will live to pay the price for their actions.

- Nine people were killed in the Arizona flash flood.

- Indonesia, last weekend, blocked access to the encrypted messaging service Telegram, citing concerns that it was being used to spread “radical and terrorist propaganda” in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation. The move comes amid heightened concerns over the increasing presence and influence of Islamic State in Southeast Asia.

- George A. Romero, the master of the zombie film genre with “Night of the Living Dead” and a series of sequels that left a lasting impact on horror movies, died of lung cancer in a Toronto hospital on Sunday, his business partner said. He was 77.

- Oscar-winning actor Martin Landau passed away at the age of 89. Landau died at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles on Saturday from unexpected complications during a short hospitalization for an undisclosed illness, publicist Dick Guttman said in a statement on Sunday.

- THE IDOLM@STER SideM anime will air this October.

- For those who love fighting games; Darkstalkers' Jedah will appear in Marvel vs. CAPCOM Infinite while Abigail from Final Fight will appear in Street Fighter V as a DLC and Garou Densetsu's villain Geese Howard will appear in Tekken 7 as a DLC.

- Check out the teaser trailer of the second series of Amazon's The Grand Tour.



TTFN!!!

F1 2017: British GP

The British Grand Prix of this season's Formula 1 championship has a chock full of surprises in store in this race, where a homegrown hero made some outstanding honors all in the name for gunning for the championship title against his newfound rivalry.


Mercedes-AMG's Lewis Hamilton made history at the British Grand Prix as this is the fifth time he won the British Grand Prix in Silverstone, joining the ranks of legends such as Jim Clark and Alain Prost as the most successful drivers at the British Grand Prix. With Hamilton made history at Silverstone, his teammate Valtteri Bottas placed 2nd and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen placed 3rd respectively. Other finishers include Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo from Red Bull Racing, Nico Hulkenberg from Renault, and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel.

The unlucky ones in the race, meanwhile, were McLaren's Fernando Alonso, Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz, and Renault's Jolyon Palmer, when his car suffered hydraulics failure on the formation lap, ending his Grand Prix run.

Onto the overall standings, the gap between Vettel and Hamilton are now narrowed to just one point, 177 to 176, while Bottas' in 3rd place with 154 points.

Next week's race is on Hungary on the 30th of July.

FIA Formula E 2016-2017: New York


New York City is the penultimate battlefield for this season's FIA Formula E Championship and just like in Berlin, it's a two-parter race that happened this weekend, giving them plenty of reasons why fans are coming back to see what's next for the drivers as well as the drivers doing overtime to survive in this technical city course.

In the first part of the New York ePrix, victor goes to Sam Bird from DS Virgin Racing while Techeetah's Jean-Eric Vergne placed 2nd and his teammate Stephane Sarrazin placed 3rd. In the 2nd part, meanwhile, Sam Bird also wins the race while Mahindra's Felix Rosenqvist and Nick Heidfeld placed 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Race highlights:


So, after that penultimate two-parter in the Big Apple, it seems that Sebastien Buemi is leading the overall rankings by 157 points while ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport's Lucas Di Grassi's 10 points behind Buemi and Mahindra's Rosenqvist's in 3rd place with 104 points.

The FIA Formula E 2016-2017 Championship ends in Montreal, Canada, on the 29th to 30th of July, 2017. Don't miss the finale!

Jodie Whittaker named as the next Doctor Who

We knew it will happen but here it is. Following Chris Chibnall's takeover as the new showrunner of BBC's hit TV series Doctor Who, the star who will play as the 13th Doctor has been named and for the first time, an actress named Jodie Whittaker.


The BBC announced the star who will be playing The Doctor in next year's season, under the new rule of incoming Executive Producer Chris Chibnall, as Jodie Whittaker. This will be the first time a woman will be taking over the role of The Doctor from the outgoing Peter Capaldi, whose tenure will end at this year's Christmas Special which stars Adventures of Space and Time's David Bradley reprising his First Doctor role from the 2013 biopic into the world of Doctor Who.

Born in 1982, graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2005, Whittaker starred in many programs such as Broadchurch, Black Mirror, The Smoke, Cranford, The Night Watch, The Accused, and Tess of the D'Urbervilles.

Announcement video:



The next season of Doctor Who starts next year after the Christmas Special, where Peter Capaldi's tenure as The Doctor ends. Are you excited for the Thirteenth's arrival? Is a female Doctor Who met your expectations?

URL: http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2017/07/doctor-whos-thirteenth-doctor-is-jodie-whittaker

Sunday, July 16, 2017

FH3 Hot Wheels: The Big Finish!

If you get up to 100 medals during your Forza Horizon 3 Hot Wheels adventure, you'll have access to the biggest Hot Wheels experience ever witnessed, which is none other than the Hot Wheels Goliath event. This event serves as the ultimate challenge where their insane driving experience they felt at the Hot Wheels Thrilltopia will be heavily tested in this ultimate rollercoaster ride where one single mistake will spell disaster for the driver.



For this final challenge at the Thrilltopia, I've selected FH3 Hot Wheel's hero car, the legendary Twin Mill, one of the most iconic Hot Wheels toy cars ever made, and because this is the hero car of FH3 Hot Wheels, there's a saying; Where it all began, where it all will end.



Of course, most of you saying there is no way your Twin Mill hero will survive Hot Wheels Goliath because this is an S2-class race and this car's S1-class and even if it tweaked to meet its regulations, there's no way it can take on powerful opponents. There will be Regeras, FXXKs, and Huayra BCs hounding on my backs like thieves at night and I understand that but this is the hero car so let the hero car win just once, ok? Let heroes finish what they started and that's my point.

Some folks are right though because even though it possesses almost a thousand and a half horses from its twin engines bolted at the front, it feels very heavy to handle and in this extreme circuit event, there is an extremely high chance that the Twin Mill will end up on a major slippage or fall on the ramp because of some jerk doing big miscalculations on where he will launch his favorite hero car at. But no matter the risk, I want to do this for the honor of Hot Wheels and nothing's going to stop me from giving a proper sendoff to the Hot Wheels Thrilltopia.

Without further ado, here goes...



After so much mud, sweat, and gears later, I finally did it! I finally owned the HW Goliath with the hero car and man, looks like I don't want to do that thing again unless I need a much suitable fast car for this task.



So, I finally conquered some of the extreme tracks on the rest of Horizon Australia. In the main campaign, I took down the Goliath Circuit with the Centenario. In Blizzard Mountain, I won the Kingmaker to claim the Ford Focus RX from Gymkhana 9, and now, I have beaten the Hot Wheels Goliath with the Twin Mill. It's all in the heroes' line of duty; finish what they have started.

Now that I finished the extremes, what's next? Well, we got a lot of mess to clean this up after all these tough challenges because even though I braved through the toughest, the journey's not yet over because there are plenty of leftovers around Horizon Australia, Blizzard Mountain, and Thrilltopia that need to be cleaned. I guess it's all up to me now but if I have some impressions about the cars I'm driving, I'm free to do so, but in the meantime, the journey continues...