Saturday, July 4, 2015

#BGBullyGags

On the July 3, 2015 episode of Bubble Gang...

- A magician faces some dirty tricks in a hotel.

- Bully gags

- IKAW AT ANG INA takes on...posts about beggars!

- Istambay, Istambay Sa Looban, Bagong Kwento, Ating Tututukan, Isang Gitarista sa Tambayan, Magaling Talaga Sa...KASKASAN?!

- More lait-lait from Lala Ytera!

- More advice-giving from Tata Lino!

- A prisoner's excuse for family reasons.



- Meet the taong grasa in school!

- Tsugi o Churva!?

Friday, July 3, 2015

Let's Do The News! (July 3, 2015)


- Back to the Greek debt crisis, as the referendum on an international bailout deal approaches, rival camps in Greece are set to hold major rallies in Athens. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is expected to be at a single rally that opposes the terms. EU leaders have warned that if Greece opposes the bailout deal, it will leave the eurozone once and for all.

- A minute of silence will be held across the UK at midday to remember the 38 people killed in the Tunisia beach attack a week ago.

- According to the US Defense Department, a senior member of the Islamic State was killed in a US-led airstrike in eastern Syria.

- The United States has once again urged China to stop its land reclamation and construction work on reefs in the disputed islands in the South China Sea.

- It is said that engine failure is the cause of Tuesdays C-130 crash in Indonesia that killed 122 personnel onboard.

- 36 people died after a ferry submerged in Leyte while 26 people onboard remained unaccounted for. So far, 127 people have been saved by Coast guard officials.

- New Pokemon XY toys on the radar! This July, prepare for Hoopa and the Clash of Ages with with new MonColle figures such as Arceus, and two new Pikachu figures; one in battle pose and the other wearing Ash Ketchum's hat. Yep. That's Ash's Pikachu to you. Keep an eye out on the second MonColle special pack inspired from this month's film. This pack features Palkia, Kyogre, Groudon, Dialga, and Hoopa Unbound. Keep an eye out for the Pokemon Ongakutai charms featuring Pikachu, Frogadier, and Dedenne, each costing 2,000 yen.

MonColle Pikachu (Ash's hat version)

- Pinoy Big Brother 737 housemate Bailey Thomas May confessed that he has a hard time choosing between his fellow housemates Barbie Imperial and Kenzo Gutierrez. He said he kinda likes Barbie but he also has a close friendship with Kenzo.

- The all-new Mazda Roadster ND is named as the winner of Red Dot Best of the Best award at a gala ceremony in Essen, Germany.

TTFN!!!

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Let's Do The News! (July 2, 2015)


- Onto the Greek Debt Crisis: Eurozone finance ministers rejected talks on a fresh bailout for Greece until the nation holds its referendum on Sunday. Citizens are asked to accept or reject proposals made by creditors last week, with PM Alexis Tsipras urging a "No" vote.

- The Egyptian government vows that their army will continue the offensive against Islamic State in the Sinai Peninsula. Operations will not stop until the area has been sanitized from terrorist concentrations.

- Yesterday, Makati City mayor Junjun Binay, the son of VP Jejomar Binay, temporarily stepped down following the second preventive suspension order issued by the Office of the Ombudsman earlier this week.. Even before his temporary resignation, the entire Makati City Hall has been placed into lockdown and operations will resume when acting Mayor Romulo "Kid" Pena Jr. takes over.

- Interior ministers from the ASEAN countries will discuss about Rohingya migrants and they're expected to call on nations to cooperate in cracking down on human trafficking groups. The talks will occur in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia, on Thursday.

- USA and Japan will be competing in the final round of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. Fans expect that the battle between the two nations happening this Sunday is like a rematch of a 2011 title game.

- Paypal, the leader of online payments, is buying international money-sending service Xoom in a deal valued at $890 million.

- Washington DC may be saved but there's a new threat going on for Secret Service agent Mike Banning. A trailer for London Has Fallen, a sequel to 2013's Olympus Has Fallen, is now on. With Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, and Morgan Freeman reprising their roles as Secret Service agent Banning, the US president, and Alan Trumbull. Set to show in theaters in early 2016, this movie pits Banning to stop an unrest in London, England, following the Prime Minister's death.



- The full trailer of the upcoming Steve Jobs biopic movie starring Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs is now on.

- Revived British sports car maker, TVR, is already taking deposits for its new sports car that hasn't been revealed yet.

- The best of FIA Formula E racing machines, including the one piloted by the first ever world champ, Nelson Piquet from NEXTEV TCR, are now playable in the upcoming Forza Motorsport 6 game exclusive for the XBOX One.

TTFN!!!

Forza Horizon 2: Back to the 86

The Toyota 86 has been one of the most enjoyable Japanese sportscars money can buy today. Sure it may not be as quick as the Nissan GT-R, nor it is exciting to look at like most sportscars of today, but the 86 is one of the cars that defined the new generation of motoring. It's the kind of car we knew within reach and gave us hope. Now, I know what you're thinking but why am I now driving it on FH2 again?

Well, there's a main reason why am I driving it again on FH2 because thanks to the Toyota 86's sporty characteristics that makes handling a lot accessible and popular by most tuners, it became a definite choice for my special treatment and here's what the Hachiroku deserved after pretentious hours of driving it in-game.







TA-DAH! Here's the special treatment I've done for the Toyota 86 and it's now themed after my all-time favorite IDOLM@STER idol, Haruka Amami. With the 765 PRO ALL-STARS now all set, my life is complete in FH2...or am I? Well, since IM@S is an expandable franchise, looks like I might be working on designs based on Cinderella Girls but in the meantime, let's get to know the final topping in the birthday cake I made for them because for the year 2015, 10 is the new 20. 10 years of Forza, 10 years of IDOLM@STER, 10 years of YouTube, 10 years of when DW went back to TV, 10-10-10. It's like there's a 10-year olds club going on this year. Ha ha ha...

The main reason why I chose the 86 is because it resonates most of her personality; simple, happy, and annoyingly clumsy. It's a great day, isn't it? Apart from the new paint job which honors our ever-favorite ribbon-wearing gal, some extensive improvements have been made to make it competitive and for an added treat, kits inspired from the Rocket Bunny 86. It may not be the wisest choice but it sure adds style to the 86.

With my final topping to the birthday cake set, let's see how much of a performer my new, improved, ride is by booking one for a championship at Nice.



Well, it maybe reflected on her personality but it does everything what I wanted it to be and I managed to score another championship win that is good enough to redo the Horizon Finale with an added twist.

So, are you happy with the Haruka Amami-themed 86 I made for you so no Ps can migrate themselves into Livers? If so, feel free to search one!

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Let's Do The News! (July 1, 2015)



- Continuing on the Greek debt crisis, Greece has failed to meet the Tuesday deadline for a 1.6 billion Euro payment to the International Monetary Fund, hours after eurozone ministers failed to extend its bailout, but ministers say they will discuss a last-minute request from Greece for a new two-year bailout on Wednesday.

- So far, 141 bodies have been recovered from the C-130 crash site in a residential area of Medan, Indonesia. According to military officials, none of the 122 people on board the C-130 plane survived when it hit houses and hotel before engulfed in flames.

- The United States has reached an agreement with Cuba to normalize diplomatic ties, which were severed for over five decades.

- The World Health Organization declared that Cuba is the first nation in the world to put a stop on the transmission of HIV and syphilis from mother to child.

- As of right now, the number of South Koreans infected with the MERS disease remains at 182 with 33 people died. However, the number of patients fully recovered are 97.

- Former PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima along with 10 other police officials have been fired by The Office of the Ombudsman over the courier deal.

- Yesterday, former child actor Jiro Manio was found loitering around NAIA Terminal 3 begging for food and money. Right now, Jiro insists he can take care of himself following reports of his homelessness and a viral video of him surfaced through the net.

- Boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao topped the top 10 highest paid celebrities of 2015 according to Forbes Magazine. Mayweather topped the spot with $300 million while Pacquiao placed second with $160 million.

- The MTRCB orders execs of the Pinoy Big Brother reality show to attend a meeting after a complaint regarding airing of alleged inappropriate content especially to younger viewers.

- The Jaguar F-Pace crossover has been previewed as a support car for Team Sky in the upcoming Tour De France cycling event.

TTFN!!!

Greatest moments in Ace Combat history

Ace Combat 20th Anniversary

Continuing on the Ace Combat 20th Anniversary celebration, time to jot down the best bits from the world's number one flight shooting game made by one of the maddest game makers in the world, Bandai Namco. From the first game to the present, there has been so many great moments AC fans remember for. From shooting down aerial bases, defending a large aircraft, destroying heavy weaponry, and rivalry between aces, every dogfight is a story in the world of AC, but now, I'm going to jot down the best moments in AC history.

1) Discovery of airborne fortress! - The final mission of the first AC game involves intercepting a giant airborne fortress and intercepting this massive flying beast is a thrilling feat as it requires precise flying skills and distinctive firing abilities. It sure is hard work but anyone remembering finishing off the last boss has proof that they are natural born aces from the start.

2) Last Resort - This mission from Ace Combat 2 is by no means the most insane mission in history. It's simple, really. Shoot down a submarine and then after that, intercept the cruise missile before it exits the available combat zone. That's it. Well, while shooting down the submarine is no slouch, shooting down the fired cruise missile is the insane part of the mission because you need to be as fast as a cruise missile itself to hunt it down. We might think that this is the final mission in AC2 but we were wrong...

3) Fighter's Honor - This is the secret and the "real" final mission of AC2. Players who worked really hard on the hardest difficulty setting stood a chance to unlock the real final mission of the game. In this mission, players are tasked to destroy an enemy fortress as well as the missile silo from the inside. In that mission, one of the Z.O.E. foes have flown an aircraft known as the ADF-01, the Falken.

4) Memory Error - Because Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere has different endings, your actions will reflect the outcome of the story. One such mission if you ended up going on a different path is the mission where you will have to shoot down the X-49 Night Raven, with Rena inside the cockpit. Halfway through the mission, players have witnessed Keith's sacrifice to stop the winged nightmare and the task of shooting down the Night Raven with Keith's plane stuck in it really made him saying "I'm pinned down!"

5) Stonehenge Offensive - Known to be one of the most thrilling missions in Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies, you, as Mobius 1, and the Mobius Squadron are tasked to put Stonehenge, the meteorite-intercepting railgun served as Erusea's weapon of mass destruction, into fruition. The first part of the mission involves destroying the entire railgun network while the second half involves fending off the Yellow Squadron.

6) Megalith - In the finale of Shattered Skies, a group of young Erusian fighters occupied Megalith, a superweapon designed to shoot down asteroids similar to the destroyed Stonehenge. Unlike the Stonehenge, the Megalith fires ballistic missiles, which is proven to be a threat to the USEAN continent. The Mobius squadron engaged in their one last do-or-die battle to save USEA from such monstrosity and although this mission focuses more on destroying the generators from the inside, every player's first priority in the finale is to fend off against the remains of the Yellow Squadron, including the ones that named Jean-Louis. Oh! Jean-Louis' been hit!

7) First Flight - With the disappearance of Capt. Jack Bartlett, the remaining Wardog pilots have returned from Port St. Hewlett (successfully evacuating the Osean aircraft carriers and the naval fleet) to Sand Island when all of a sudden, a surprise attack carried by the Yukes occurred. Your mission was to protect Sand Island from the Yuke air strikes and then later, protecting a rookie named Hans "Archer" Grimm as he takes off and joining the Wardog squadron.

8) White Bird Part I - When the Wardog squadron and the aircraft carrier Kestrel survived the ballistic missile blast in Eaglin Straits, the pilots are taking a break at Heierlark base, located near the former South Belkan territory. After the Wardog squadron sent the rookie pilots back to the base, they were on a mission to protect the Basset Space Center from invading Yuktobanian forces as the space center is launching an SSTO craft heading towards the Arkbird, intentionally built as the first step toward the realisation of the space station project. Defending a space center against tanks dropped from a cargo plane, bombers, and cruise missiles sure is a zany task, you know.

9) Front Line - The Yuktobanian naval fleet is invading Sand Island and the Osean army's staging a counterattack against them. In this mission, players need to defend the rookie pilots while fending off against the enemy naval fleet. After fending off the naval fleet, players are facing off against the Yuktobanian sub carrier known as the Scinfaxi. Battling against a powerful submarine is a tough job because of the sub's tendency to submerge but thanks to the Arkbird's laser attack, there's no turning back for the Scinfaxi to get BBQ'ed by the Wardog. Good thing, multiroles like the Tiger with unguided bombs really come in handy.

10) Demons of Razgriz - A Scinfaxi-class submarine known as the Hrimfaxi appeared somewhere in the Razgriz Straits in the Anea continent, launching burst missiles against the Osean army invading Yuktobanian territory. In this mission, you and the Wardog pilots fly silently to find the Hrimfaxi and if they spot you, you have less than a minute to hunt down the Hrimfaxi before diving in. The Hrimfaxi attacks just like the Scinfaxi but unlike the Scinfaxi, it deploys unmanned drones as distraction, meaning greater strategies need to be pulled to sink the Hrimfaxi for good.

11) Handful of Hope - This is by no means one of the trickiest missions in AC5 because in this mission, you and Edge have been tasked to escort the Mother Goose 1 transport plane from Akerson Hill's AA system's range because some malfunctions in the Mother Goose 1 can't determine by the AA system if its a friend or foe and they can't fly through a safe path through the AA systems. After escorting Mother Goose 1 through the radar zones, you've been reunited with Chopper and Grimm and continue to defend the aircraft against enemy squadrons. However, something's strange going on in the Mother Goose 1. Well, you get the idea at the end of the mission,

12) White Noise - After rescuing prisoners from a Yuktobanian base during a harsh blizzard, Nagase's plane was crash landed along with the Chinook helicopter. A day later, the search for Nagase began in the same place where they've rescued the prisoners (but no sign of Bartlett). She did triggered a distress signal but the signal is very weak so on on this mission, you have to locate the distress signal before the enemy gets her, however, the search for Edge gets distracted when you've encountered jammer aircraft. When players pinpointed her whereabouts, you have now been tasked to protect the Sea Goblin helicopter from Yuke squadrons chasing them. Simple as that.

13) Journey Home - The first half of the mission involves following your wingmen while conducting a ceremonial flight through a stadium in November City. After the ceremonial flight, expect something odd happening at the stadium and if that wasn't enough, Yuke squadrons began attacking November City without warning and it's your job to fend off the Yuktobanian scumbags as long as possible. This mission had players witnessed the death of wingman Alvin "Chopper" H. Davenport, making it one of the most tragic deaths in video game history.

14) Final Option - It is revealed that the Principality of Belka was behind the confusion and the tension between the OSEAN Federation and the Union of Yuktobanian Republics and after the shocking revelation that endangered the Wardog squadron as well as Peter N. Beagle, known as Pops, and journalist Albert Genette, they've escaped Sand Island using his training jets. With nothing to fight back, this mission involves following Pops as they avoid detection from the 8492nd Squadron on a volcanic island in Ceres Ocean. At the end of the mission, Captain Marcus "Swordsman" Snow appeared and he faked you and your colleagues' death after flashing a signal light asking them to bail out. With reports told about the death of the Wardog squadron, you've been rescued by the Sea Goblin and sent you and the others to the Kestrel.

15) Ancient Walls - With Capt. Snow joining alongside you, Nagase, and Grimm, and armed with jets came from a confiscated container ship, your mission involves rescuing OSEAN President Harling from the Belkan forces who held him captive in an old castle located near the ground zero craters in the Principality of Belka. With Sea Goblin conducting the rescue operation to the President, your mission is to protect the Sea Goblin from incoming Belkan attacks from both ground, air, and sea. The successful rescue of the President prompted them to become his personal air fleet and with reports circulating their deaths, the Ghosts of Razgriz are born.

16) White Bird Part II - After the Ghosts of Razgriz sealed the mine containing nuclear weapons that the Belkans used 15 years ago and protecting the resistance from the Yukes and the Belkan Ofnir Squadron as they dismantling the nuke, they've received an incoming transmission coded in Belkan. It states that the Arkbird will launch a nuclear strike at a certain Yuktobanian city and its your job to pursue the Arkbird, secretly sabotaged by the Belkans, and destroy it before it exits the combat airspace. This mission involves precise flying skills as they will have to attack UAVs known as the Vogels, evading laser fire, and firing abilities to end the nightmare that plagued the white bird.

17) Heartbreak One - With Capt. Bartlett and the resistance rescued Yuktobanian Prime Minister Nikanor, the Ghosts of Razgriz approached the Pobeda Peninsula and provide cover as Bartlett, alongside a woman from his past, are getting Nikanor out to safety. This is the mission where players face a fork on the road; they will ask them if they can take risks on a shortcut or go on a long and safe road. As time-consuming aces say, it's going to be the risky shortcut and take chances to fend off against heavy firepower. After escorting them to safety, the 8492nd Squadron (or the Belkan Grabacr Squadron to be exact) appears and this time, it's a do-or-die battle.

18) ACES - An unknown missile strike destroyed the OPS Kestrel and the Ghosts of Razgriz escaped safely to the final battle happening at Sudentor, a former South Belkan city and where the North Osea Grunder Industries (formerly a South Belkan Munitions Factory) is located. With the two leaders convince their troops to cease fighting, the OSEAN and Yuktobanian forces are now fighting alongside the Ghosts of Razgriz as they will put an end to this meaningless war once and for all. However, as they advanced, the SOLG military satellite is operational and its your job is to keep the OSEAN and Yuke troops safe as they will open the tunnel leading to the control unit. The tunnel part of this mission is the most insane part as it will put all your flying skills to the test and you have one shot to destroy the SOLG control unit.

19) The Unsung War - In the finale of AC5, The Ghosts of Razgriz are on a final mission; to stop the SOLG military satellite from crashing down the Osean capital city, Oured. But first, they have to fend off against a double Belkan formation; Ofnir and Grabacr. Fighting off against the Belkan squadrons sounds tough but nothing as tough as evading debris while blowing off the SOLG into a million pieces to save the world from the brink of destruction.

20) The Round Table - Ustio Air Force's Galm Team, comprising of you (Cipher) and Solo Wing Pixy, are tasked to invade Area B7R, known as the Round Table. B7R is a wasteland where pilots put their skills to the test regardless of their ranks. The only rule of engagement was...to SURVIVE.  In your first taste of B7R, your mission is to fend off against Belkan squadrons as much as possible. In the latter half, you'll be facing of against one of Belkan Air Force's finest squadrons; Rot (comprising of Typhoon pilots), Grun (experts of flying Super Hornets), or Indigo (Gripen pilots who know better).

21) Diapason - With the Allied Forces approached the Ustio capital city of Directus, which is under Belkan army control, the Galm Team are tasked to save Directus from the Belkan army's tyranny. Liberating a capital city of a small nation sounds like a start but things can get messy at the end when you're facing off a duo of Su-37 pilots known as the Gelb team.

22) Sword of Annihilation - Belka's massive chemical laser weapon, codenamed Excalibur, attacked the Allied Forces invading the Schayne Plains. Days later, the mission to attack Excalibur in its site, Tauberg, has begun. In this mission, you can't take down Excalibur without taking out its jamming sites as well as power stations. Since this is essentially an air-to-ground combat mission involving taking down a towering weapon of mass destruction, enemy squadrons are present, and greater tactics in terms of plane and weaponry are needed to pull out the King's Sword once and for all.

23) Mayhem - Area B7R has come alive with an all out aerial warfare between the Allied Forces and the Belkan Air Force. This is known to be one of the best moments in AC-ZERO because with no ground targets present, your skills as a fighter pilot are well and truly tested as you will fend off enemy squadrons as much as possible. That's a lot more than your first encounter at the B7R and with threat levels down; expect bigger threats from the best of Belkan Air Force such as the Schwarze team (Foxhound experts), Schnee team (Super Tomcat pilots with jammer crafts joining alongside), and Silber team (whose leader flew an F-4 Phantom II).

24) The Stage of Apocalypse - The Allied Forces are planning to attack Sudentor but their plans shifted when they've encountered enemy bombers heading through Ustio's Valais Air Base, most which claimed to have a nuclear warhead. In the first half, you have to shoot down the bombers as well as the enemy crafts, but in the second half; this is the messy part because the nuclear weapons have been detonated and things took a nasty turn when Pixy's shooting at you and went AWOL.

25) Lying in Deceit - In the aftermath of the nuclear explosions at the Waldreich Mountains and Pixy's disappearance, the Belkan government ordered most of its army to disband but some Belkan armies refused to accept the change in government and are disobeying the command to disband. There are remaining troops lurking in Belka's Mt. Schrim, which is familiar to AC fans many. Your task is to wipe out the remaining Belkan army platoon as much as you can and since this is an extended mission much like what happened in Glatisant, there's a return line where players can pass through for repairs and ammunition. And because of Pixy's AWOL status, Crow Team's PJ became your wingman and he responds to your orders.

26) The Talon of Ruin - It was Christmas Day in 1995, six months after the ceasefire agreement that signalled the end of The Belkan War, when Valais Air Base was under attacked by coup d'etat forces along with a top-secret patrol fighter aircraft known as the Hresvelgr. In this mission, you are tasked to pursue the Hresvelgr before it leaves the combat airspace but your pursuit has been hampered by Sapin Air Force's Espada Team, who are part of the coup d'etat.

27) The Demon of The Round Table - This is a three-part finale of The Belkan War where you can't change your aircraft after clearing this mission, meaning a choice of better aircrafts is necessary to complete this three-part mission. The first part takes on the now desolated Round Table as you are fighting against one of the three coup d'etat squadrons; Sorcerer, Gault, or Wizard. The Wizard Team is by no means the cleverest of the three coup d'etat squadrons. They're using F-16XL fighter bombers as distractions before getting lured by the trap set by pilots in their YF-23 stealth fighters.

28) The Valley of the Kings - The second-part of the finale involves taking down the Avalon Dam, where the coup d'etat forces are hiding an experimental V2 nuke and planned to launch it. In the first half, you have to fly through the canyon while avoid getting shot, then in the second half, you have to get through the dam and destroy the control units to stop the V2 launch. If you finished it, congratulations! You saved the world...or have you?!

29) Zero - Solo Wing Pixy re-emerged from nowhere and now he's facing you off with his new ADFX-01 Morgan, equipped with lasers and burst missiles that can blind you badly. This is the finale where you must finish off your former "buddy" before he launches the V2. Having managed to survive through the Morgan's firepower and attacked him, he launched the V2 and now, the Morgan's ECM is active, making it invulnerable to attack from behind, meaning your best chance to finish him is by attacking it head-on.

30) Gleipnir - Aurelian Air Force's Gryphus Squadron faces off against Leasath's aerial base, the Gleipnir. Because of its shock wave missiles and optical camouflage that renders it unseeable in the naked eye, the Gleipnir is a big threat to Aurelian airspace. It's your job to destroy the Gleipnir before it causes trouble in Aurelia.

31) End of Deception - The finale of ACX Skies of Deception involves in two ways; destroy the Archelon Fortress along with the experimental Fenrir aircraft or destroy the shock cannon. Well, the part with the Fenrir in it is the thrilling part of the game because thanks to the Fenrir's uncomparable firepower and camouflage along with Leasath's elite Alect Squadron, it's difficult to survive the final battle so the first thing to do is to destroy the power plant that powers its camouflage before fending off the almighty Fenrir. If you thought that was over, it's not over yet because with the gate of Archelon Fortress opened and with one remaining Fenrir trying to escape the fortress, you are tasked to destroy it while trying to survive inside the fortress that is about to explode. Thrilling, isn't it?

32) Heavy Command Cruiser - To prevent further casualties en route to save Gracemeria from the Estovakian army, the Emmerian Air Force, along with the heroic Garuda Team, are on the pursuit on the heavy command cruiser known as the Aigaion as it refuels through a remote island near Emmeria. In this mission, you are tasked to destroy the Aigaion heavy command cruiser as well as the Gyges and Kottos aerial warships. However, this mission is proven to be very hard because of the Aigaion's powerful weaponry as well as the Strigon team deployed as distractions but there's no impossible for aces like you to send this beast down to the bottom of the ocean.

33) Weapons of Mass Destruction - Despite the Garuda Team suspended for violating orders, they have been given a task to ambush the enemy transport unit carrying a catalyst unit for their WMD against the Emmerian capital Gracemeria. The tricky part of this mission aside from flying on the low altitude is when you've been spotted by the enemy observation tower, you have to destroy them as quickly as possible before they alert the transport unit. If you spot the transport unit, destroy it before it gets away but that's just the first half because on the second half, you'll get ambushed by enemy squadrons and then later, you've been reunited by your Emmerian air force allies, perfect enough to unleash your Allied Attack command if things get messy.

34) The Liberation of Gracemeria - With the Estovakian army taking desperate measures, the Emmerian army as well as Garuda Team have returned to Gracemeria for their do-or-die battle to take back the capital from the Stovie's rule. It's been proven to be one of the best moments in AC6 Fires of Liberation right up to the point where you'll defeat Strigon Leader Pasternak in his CFA-44 Nosferatu, the Estovakian prototype aircraft equipped with signature weapons like the ADMM and the EML.

35) Gracemeria Patrol - Gracemeria may be saved but the war is not over yet. In the first half of the mission, you are asked to fly through patrol areas while witnessing the beautiful fireworks in the night sky. It all seem so lovely to see Gracemeria rose from the darkness but then, something strange is happening. Yep, it's the cruise missiles but not as big as the Aigaion's and on the second half of this mission, you and Shamrock must defend Gracemeria against enemy squadrons and cruise missiles trying to attack Gracemeria like last time.

36) Chandelier - The cruise missiles that fired on Gracemeria came from a meteorite-intercepting railgun installation located at Sonne Island known as the Chandelier. In the finale, your mission is to destroy the Chandelier, starting with the cooling units following with the core units. This final mission is very thrilling and it requires all the skills you learned from past missions to save Emmeria from the dreaded weapon of mass destruction which served as the last resort for the Estovakians.

37) Bird Hunt - The terrorist organization known as the Valahia have attacked Tokyo with their aerial base known as the Spiridus. In this mission, you have been tasked to strip out of its weaponry before it uses the Balaur to make a giant crater out of the Japanese capital.

38) Capital Defense - Shortly after the Spiridus retreated Tokyo and successfully defended the Japanese Self Defense Force, the Valahia attacked the Japanese capital again, only this time, they've used a new aerial warship called the Orgoi. In this mission, you've been tasked to destroy the Orgoi warship. However, things took a turn of events as the leader of the Valahia militants, Nicolae Dumitrescu, spliced the communications and the Rigel Squadron, led by Sulejmani, have been tempted by Valahia to become one of them.

39) Raging Sea - As the Antares Squadron continue their pursuit against the Spiridus in London, UK, after their Middle Eastern ops, you've entered the Adriatic Sea and your mission is to fend off enemy commandos from both air, land, and sea. Later, you've been attacked by your former allies of Rigel Squadron, now referred as the Varcolac Squadron, and after you shoo them away, you've been tasked to take down a powerful submarine.

40) Night Watch - You've managed to pursue the aerial base Spiridus in London at the dead of night and on this mission you are going to destroy the aerial base once and for all before its causing extensive damage to the British capital.

41) Cyclops Slayer - London may have been saved but Europe still has a knife on its throat as the Antares Squadron began the pursuit against the Valahia. First off, you have to take on either the railgun or the radar sites mounted at Siberian mountains. In this mission, you have to take out the radar sites while avoiding the attack of the Balaur railgun.

42) Dragon Lair - In this mission, you are tasked to destroy the Balaur railgun as well as the jammer sites that hinder your progress.

43) Grand Flight - This mission adds a major twist in AC Joint Assault because in this mission, you are flying a Boeing 747 belonging to Andre Olivieri, a business tycoon, as you fly through the cliffs while dealing less damage by the anti-air weaponry. It's difficult to manage if you're going solo but in multiplayer, it's easy because three of your buddies are playing with their fighter jets as usual for defensive purposes.

44) Sanctify - The battle against Valahia ends in the former Soviet missile site militants called Infern, Romanian for Hell, In the first half, you and your buddies must stop the Varcolac Squadron once and for all. On the second half, this is a tricky one because you have to fly through the missile silo and destroy the control center to put an end to the Valahia. You managed to put an end to Valahia but you have discovered the conspiracy of the Golden Axe Plan and why Olivieri staged this war for his own profits.

45) Alarm Clock - As the Martinez Security prepares for the battle against the Golden Axe Plan in San Francisco, they've been under attacked by unknown hostiles. Even the AWACS Canopus is in danger and they're desperately seeking help to save themselves. In this mission, you are tasked to defend the AWACS Canopus from unknown hostiles including a horde of Orgoi aerial warships.

46) Ghost Hunt - The new Spiridus, made under the Golden Axe Plan, is en route to San Francisco, and it has more powerful weapons than the Valahian Spiridus you've defeated. In this mission, you are tasked to destroy the new Spiridus, with some help from the Martinez Security's ground forces as they'll launching a missile more powerful than what a fighter plane can fire. It's simple; wait till the ground forces fire the missile and when it hits the Spiridus, now's your chance to shoot it down to render its READS unusable.

47) Reprisal - In the finale, players are tasked to protect San Francisco against the Golden Axe Plan, then, you will engage a final battle against the Varcolac Squadron. Sulejmani and his men are now flying with the ultra-powerful GAF-1 Varcolac, an experimental aircraft developed from the GA Plan. Taking out his men might be easy but defeating Sulejmani is harder than you think because of its defense system that can intercept missiles from behind before reaching him unless if you can machine gun his craft to lower his defenses, then take him out for good. After wiping Sulejmani off the radar, you are tasked to break through the gates of the OLI HQ and the story's over.

48) Spooky - In this mission, you are in charge of firing weapons straight from the AC-130U gunship, while helping the Nomad on their landing operation in Eastern Africa. We find the first half to be quite enjoyable as you're unleashing massive firepower from the gunship thanks to 120mm shells, 40mm rounds, and a 25mm gatling gun.

49) Lock and Load - In this mission, you are in control of the door gun from the MH-60 BLACK HAWK helicopter and defend the Nomad units as you fight your way through a container ship full of rebels at Suez Canal, Egypt.

50) Hostile Fleet - With the help of American and Russian air fleet, Warwolf leader Col. William Bishop is tasked to rescue the Russian prime minister who was held captive by rebels via ship. In this mission, a strong air-to-ship weaponry is a recommendation and with crafts such as the F-2A or the Rafale M, it's no slouch, even the A-10A, thanks to its powerful FAE bomb, isn't shabby either.

51) Launch - In the first half of the mission, you are in control of the B-1 Lancer bomber as you engage in a bombing ops against a missile base. The B-1 maybe slow and heavy but its bombs are powerful enough to blow targets into a million pieces. However, on the latter half, things get a little messy as you, as Colonel Bishop, must pursue a ballistic missile and destroy it before it gets to an altitude too high for you to shoot.

52) Aftermath - The US forces team up with the Russian forces to liberate the Russian capital Moscow from the rebels and it's your job to defend Moscow against an army of enemy fighters and bombers, including the Sharkmouth Akula himself.

53) Homefront - In this mission, you have to fend off a squadron of Flanker planes attacking Miami, Florida. Fighting off against enemy planes in this area sounds grueling but in the latter part of the mission when your wingman Guts gets hit by the Sharkmouth's PAK-FA, there's the part of the mission where you'll shoot his canopy to bail himself out, and then, a head-on against Akula.

54) Hurricane - Despite a strong hurricane hitting the Florida Coast, Col. Bishop's pursuit against Akula continues, only this time, he's pursuing against two PAK-FA aircrafts, one of them is a Red Moon ace named Illich. With Markov escaped, your mission is to shoot down Illich once and for all.

55) Akula - In the finale, your mission is to protect Washington D.C. from rebel attacks. Whether if its fending off against Flanker planes as usual and defending the Woodrow Wilson bridge against Blackjack bombers approaching, nothing's more extreme than having a final face-off against Akula. It takes enough firepower and skill to defeat the Sharkmouth and after defeating the Sharkmouth, he dropped the Trinity nuke and your goal? Destroy Trinity before it hits the American capital! This has got to be a very thrilling moment in Assault Horizon.

And there you have it. These are the greatest moments in the world of Ace Combat. To all the aces, Phoenix, Scarface, Nemo, Mobius, Blaze, Cipher, Gryphus, Talisman, Antares, and Warwolf in the sky, we say thanks and here's for 20 more years. Cheers for the future of the Ace Combat series as it prepares itself to the new generation of aces.

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Our favorite aircrafts from the Ace Combat series


June 30th, 2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the Ace Combat franchise ever since the first Ace Combat game went on sale for the original Sony PlayStation in 1995. To commemorate such occasion, and for nostalgia's sake, why not jot down the best aircrafts, both real and fictional, from the world's number one flight shooting game whose copies sold worldwide are as infinite as the ribbon insignia. It really doesn't matter which of the aircraft featured in the series is the best because every fan of Ace Combat knows, they're all agree with their favorite fighter jets, well, except for the Nosferatu.

1) F-22A Raptor - Known as the pride of the US Air Force, this 5th generation stealth fighter has a wide reputation for being a premier air-superiority fighter thanks to its cutting-edge technologies that can adapt through numerous missions including recon missions, air-to-air attack (which the Raptor shines), air-to-ground combat (which is nearly impossible for this fighter), and best of all, it remains operational today despite the completion of its fleet. Even though its well known for protecting the US homeland and ready for global deployment, the Raptor enjoyed its time with the gamers as one of the best Ace Combat aircraft for the goodie. Yes, we've seen Raptors having their shot at fame as hero planes of the franchise and no matter how much the game has evolved, the Raptor is always here to stay as the ultimate good guy's plane. Better still, out favorite Raptor in the series is the one that bears the unforgettable ribbon insignia (in short; the F-22A -Mobius1- from Shattered Skies).

2) F-15C Eagle - The F-15C is an all-weather, large scale fighter that boasts a phenomenal maximum speed and has a plethora of ordnance loaded on board. It is said that it holds the record for recovering after losing a wing in battle (much to the case of Solo Wing Pixy's past according to the assault record from AC-ZERO). Pixy aside, the F-15C had became the demonic choice as the hero plane in Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War, and if you had a memory of bearing the Cipher codename, this demon of a plane is the one you'll remember, the demon that crushed the knights of the Round Table in the war. Little did you know that former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson once rode an F-15 in one of his shows called Extreme Machines several years ago and he vomited in the end.



3) F-14A Tomcat/F-14D Super Tomcat - We all remember this plane from the Top Gun movie but Top Gun aside, this carrier-based fighter was once the pride of the US Navy before it was replaced by the can-do-all F/A-18. The Tomcat's party piece is its variable wings that can change its angles automatically when approaching high speeds. The Super Tomcat, on the other hand, is an updated version featuring a new onboard radar and engine. As a goodie plane, the F-14 fared well despite its age and specs, but the F-14 Ace Combat fans mostly remembered for is the F-14A -Razgriz- from The Unsung War.

4) Su-37 Terminator - Ace Combat players can have any Flanker plane they like including the Su-27, Su-33, and Su-35, but their favorite of the Flanker-type planes is a prototype Flanker called the Su-37 Terminator. No. Not the Arnold Schwarzenegger kind of Terminator, the Su-37 kind of Terminator. Of course, the Terminator had some appearances in the world of Ace Combat. First, there's Rena Hirose's Terminator in AC3, the Gelb team from AC-ZERO, Varcolac Squadron's Kiriakov's from Joint Assault, and most famously, the Yellow Squadron's from AC04 Shattered Skies. Actually, it's the one with the number 13 that got us into guilty pleasures. We're referring to the Su-37 -Yellow13-, our kind of baddie plane. So, what's it all about this Terminator? This concept Flanker features a 2DCD thrust-vectoring nozzles, making it the most maneuverable of the Flanker planes. In 1996, it performed the highly-impossible Kulbit maneuver at an air show, causing much rave from the audiences.

5) Su-33 Flanker-D - The Su-33 is Russia's answer to America's F-14 Tomcat or the F/A-18 Super Hornet because like these two, it's a carrier-based derivative of the Su-27. It may be slower than any other craft of the same generation but it has the best handling capabilities. The Flanker-D looks good when in motion but its style can be easily spoiled when its main and tail wings folded up to accommodate the storage space available on an aircraft carrier. Despite having a horrible mechanism involving the folding of its wings, the Su-33 Flanker-D is still worthy of being a baddie plane and the baddie plane fans remembered for is the Su-33 -Strigon- from AC6.

6) Typhoon - Known to be the most modern strike fighter developed through a joint cooperation between the European nations of UK, Germany, Spain, and Italy, the Eurofighter Typhoon features engines that can push up to 20,000 lbs of thrust each, sending the Typhoon up to 65,000 feet and a speed of over 1,500mph. It's designed to be as agile as possible in an aerial dogfight and it requires over 70 computers to keep it airborne and if one computer fails, the Typhoon falls. It's all about brains and brawns, like for instance, its slim-looking wings is capable enough to sustain high-speed G-turns. Little did you know that a certain episode of Top Gear features a race between the Typhoon and a Bugatti Veyron, with Richard Hammond behind the wheel.



7) F/A-18F/E Super Hornet - This all-weather, carrier-based, multirole fighter jet became the pinnacle of America's Navy when the F-14 Tomcat was decommissioned. It maybe not as fast as the Tomcat, but its air-to-air combat and air-to-ground combat abilities made the Super Hornet a fighter plane that can do most of the tasks during missions. As of now, the boffins from aircraft manufacturer Boeing providing the Super Hornet an array of upgrades such as fuel tanks, enclosed weapons pod, enhanced engine, and a reduced radar signature.

8) JAS-39C (Gripen C) - Made by Saab, the Gripen is a true multirole fighter that can adapt through numerous missions ranging from air superiority, air strikes, recon missions, and so on. Thanks to its short size, the Gripen can be launched from the tunnels that some air forces used it as their makeshift airbases. Aside from its netcentric warfare capabilities and combat performance, it's very cost-effective, allowing some budget-focused air forces to procure one over a long term.

9) MiG-31 Foxhound - The Foxhound is the first ever 4th generation aircraft made by the former Soviet Union and it's essentially an updated version of the MiG-25. Despite having a boxy appearance, it's capable of supersonic flight even at low altitudes and with its high engine thrust, its top speed is close to Mach 3. Baddie plane, aside, the Foxhound is well-known for pursuing enemies even from behind, and if it was outfitted in Schwarze's clothing from AC-ZERO, the Foxhound is the boxy aircraft to strike fear at its foes, making the hunters become the hunted.

10) F-16C Fighting Falcon - With over 4,000 units made, this lightweight, easy-to-handle fighter was adopted by numerous air forces globally due to its low-cost and high power suitable to obtain air superiority. It may not be as powerful as the Raptor or the F35 but it's essentially tameable and lethal when equipped with special weaponry such as a 4-target air-to-air missile or a high-homing QAAM.

11) Rafale M - This carrier-based aircraft made by the French is the first omnirole combat aircraft with a delta-canard configuration designed to adapt through different missions such as air superiority and air strikes. It's versatile, flexible, and has higher chances to survive through numerous threats.

12) F-15E Strike Eagle - This version of the Eagle adds air-to-ground capabilities to the F-15C, making it capable to adapt through numerous missions thanks to its diverse array of weapons including our-ever favorite self-forging fragments which, when used properly, does more damage than the FAE bombs. Everyone believes that the Strike Eagle is a goodie plane because of its can-do-all capabilities that can save the day from enemy attacks, just as when the Garuda team from AC6 saved the Emmerian capital city Gracemeria from Estovakian tyranny.

13) A-10A Thunderbolt II - One of the best fighter-bombers in the world of Ace Combat when it comes to deal with air-to-ground combats, this heavily-armed attacker has the most devastating firepower and high survivability rate. It's so lethal, dropping one of its FAE bombs will blow you away like wildfire.

14) F-2A - At first glance, it looks like an F-16 but it is essentially developed through a joint collaboration between the US and Japan. The F-2 is one of the main fighter-bombers used by the JASDF and it's focused on air-to-ship attack capabilities. Despite being an anti-warship fighter bomber, it's still come in handy in times of air strikes.

15) F-15S/MTD - A concept aircraft based on the F-15, the S/MTD is developed to increase maneuverability and designed for short take-off and landing abilities. It may look like if this has sprouted with eight wings but this high-tech prototype features an electronic control system, 2DCD thrust-vectoring nozzle, and canard wings, making it more maneuverable and fast for a multirole aircraft. Don't think of the S/MTD as a goodie plane because if you refered to yourself as one of the so-called 8492nd squadron, chances are that you belong to a squadron that once caused tension and confusion between two superpowers. It's a baddie plane, all right, but the kind of F-15S/MTD baddie I've enjoyed is the one in the Sorcerer's colors from AC-ZERO because it came from a coup d'etat known as A World Without Boundaries.

16) Su-47 Berkut - Like the Su-37 Terminator, the Berkut is a prototype fighter plane with forward pointing wings that provide better aerodynamics, making the most maneuverable of the real-world prototype aircrafts. This plane causes so much misery to its opponents because when every time they got shot down by those, they might think that the Berkut is an omen of misfortune for the opposition, that's why it's considered as a baddie plane much to the case of AC5's Belkan Grabacr fighter squadron and AC-ZERO's Gault team. Come to think of it, the Gault team's leader is somewhat more of a half-monk, half-hitman, I think.

17) F-35 Lightning II - Fans love the F35 in Ace Combat because of its can-do all capabilities suitable to adapt through a variety of missions. Aside from its multirole and stealth abilities, the procurement cost is more manageable than the F-22A Raptor, which only works for air-to-air combat purposes. Its best version, the F-35B, features a short-takeoff/vertical landing capability.

18)  F-16XL - A concept fighter bomber based on the F-16 Fighting Falcon featuring a cranked-arrow delta wing and it carries the most weaponry among the F-16 range. It comes with improved stability in low speed ranges, and its air-to-ground abilities have enhanced. Some say that the Wizard team from AC-ZERO used the F-16XL as distractions to the players before getting lunged by the attacks from the YF-23 stealth fighters. If you remember this situation, looks like you've adopted a greater strategy to wipe them off from the Round Table before advancing to Avalon.

19) YF-23 Black Widow II - This prototype stealth fighter is a candidate from the Advanced Tactical Fighter program, with diamond shaped wings and a V-shaped tail.

20) T-50 PAK-FA - This prototype fighter aircraft is a vision of Russian Air Force's answer to America's F-22 Raptor. The codename PAK-FA refers to Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation and this concept fighter comes with the best handling capabilities of any stealth aircraft and boasting top-class aerial combat capabilities, making it the pinnacle of Russian air force technology. Because it's capable of using different types of weaponry, some might fear that the PAK-FA is capable enough to mount a miniature nuclear warhead that can wipe out a major city, just like the one used by the renegade pilot Andrei "Akula" Markov from Assault Horizon during the final battle at Washington D.C.

21) XFA-27 - Anyone who remembered playing Ace Combat 2 has high chances of remembering this secret unlockable aircraft. Known as the Unified Command's Last Hope, this top-secret aircraft features an all-moving tail, canards, and unique vectoring nozzles, capable of excellent maneuverability. It's made to become an aircraft with extreme performance.

22) ADF-01 FALKEN - This fictional aircraft also appeared on AC2 as a secret aircraft but in AC5, it's a different experience because the cockpit features an array of monitors arranged in a 360-degree sphere known as the COFFIN system. It may look like an alien spaceship from the future but this is the ultimate air-superiority fighter whose weapons include a super-cool laser that can zap through enemies with precision.

23) R-101 Delphinus 1 - The Delphinus 1 is one of the futuristic aircrafts you can unlock in AC3: Electrosphere. Made by Neucom, it's the first of the Delphinus series of aircraft forms the core of the R-numeral fleet.

24) X49 Night Raven - This is also one of the futuristic aircrafts you can unlock on AC3 and this is also the aircraft where UPEO's Rena Hirose went haywire, leaving GRDF's ace pilot Keith Bryan to sacrifice his life to put a stop to it. It comes with a box wing configuration, a new type of engine, and a powerful laser weapon. It was created from General Resource's Darkness of Enigma secret project to counter against Neucom's Delphinus aircrafts, according to one theory.

25) X-02 Wyvern - Served as the pinnacle of the Erusian military aviation technology, the Wyvern features special variable wings which adjust according to speed. Such extreme visual differences between the wing configurations has made people believe there are two kinds of aircraft but that's fine by us because this is one of the best of the Ace Combat original aircrafts since its status as an unlockable aircraft in AC04 Shattered Skies.

26) ADFX-01 Morgan - As the unlockable aircraft in AC-ZERO The Belkan War, the Morgan is the ultimate multirole aircraft that can be equipped with a laser and a signature multipurpose burst missile that not only wipes out large clusters of enemies, it blinds them like a flashbang. One theory states that Solo Wing Pixy used it in the final battle at Avalon, demonstrating the viability of various experimental technologies, meaning some extreme measures have been done by the player to counterattack against the Morgan.

27) Fenrir - One of the unlockable aircrafts in ACX Skies of Deception, this large-scale multirole aircraft secretly made by the Leasath air force delivers an unprecedented threat level against the opposition. The description states this features the same optical camouflage as the Gleipnir aerial base, but for the playable aircraft, it doesn't have one but it's lighter and more maneuverable. It even comes with its signature Long Range Shockwave Missile that can blow away long range targets at the cost of homing capabilities. Some who are lucky enough to unlock the Fenrir might say they can finish any mission faster than eating a cookie.

28) CFA-44 Nosferatu - The Nosferatu is the Estovakian Air Force's next-generation carrier-based fighter and an unlockable aircraft in AC6 Fires of Liberation, which remains one of the least-favorite Ace Combat game due to its XBOX 360 exclusivity. Love it or hate it, the Nosferatu is equipped with two signature weapons such as the All-Direction Multipurpose Missile and an Electromagnetic Launcher which has longer range and can be fired rapidly. When the Strigon Leader Pasternak sent his wingmen back to the base, he and the Nosferatu, along with a horde of UAVs, battled the Garuda team during the Liberation of Gracemeria, making it one of the trickiest boss fights ever happened in the game.

29) GAF-1 Varcolac - Appeared as an unlockable aircraft in AC Joint Assault, this bewildering prototype is a product of Olivieri's Golden Axe Plan provided to the Varcolac Squadron and appeared on the final battle in San Francisco against the heroic Antares Squadron.

30) ASF-X Shinden II - This fictional elite support fighter with variable front sloping wings and unique, vertically arranged double engines is a dream collaboration between Project Aces and Macross' mech designer Shoji Kawamori. When the producers asked Kawamori-sensei to create a dream aircraft inspired from the world of anime and the world of Ace Combat, this is the result and it became a DLC in AC Assault Horizon. The Shinden name came from an ancient World War II fighter, visualizing a modern take of a Japanese legend, while delivering a new taste for AC fans many. It even got featured in the Ikaros in the Sky novel as well.

Monday, June 29, 2015

Let's Do The News! (June 29, 2015)


- After the decision by the European Central Bank not to extend emergency funding, all banks in Greece will be closed all week. In a decree, it cited the "extremely urgent" need to protect the Greek financial system due to the lack of liquidity. The capital city, Athens, is due to make a 1.6 billion euro payment to the International Monetary Fund on Tuesday, which is the same day that its current bailout expires.

- The gunman behind the Tunisian beach attack, that killed 38 people at a beach near the Tunisian city of Sousse, had help in carrying out the attack. Following the attack claimed by the Islamic State militants, the Tunisian government has announced increased security measures.

- An unmanned rocket launched to resupply the International Space Station has exploded after liftoff. NASA says the Falcon 9 rocket broke apart about 2 minutes after being launched from an air force station in Florida before 1430 hours UTC on Sunday.

- Following the historic ruling of making same-sex legal in the USA, looks like the Supreme Court of the Philippines are having a hard time making it legal. Last May, there was a petition filed in the Philippines' high court seeking a similar decision but lawyer Jesus Nicardo Falcis III asked the SC to nullify and declare as unconstitutional provisions of the Family Code.

- Philippine weather agency, PAGASA, monitors two low-pressure areas that might enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility. Once the LPA enters the PAR, it might develop into a typhoon and then it will be called Egay.

- After reader surveys, it's finally official that the name of the group that will pass the baton from the μ's for the upcoming LoveLive! Sunshine cross-media project is Aqours! Garnering 4,644 votes from the group name survey, Aqours is a group name which combines the words "aqua" and "ours". The first single of the new group will be released on October 7th. Welcome to the new generation of LoveLive!

- Hot on the heels for the upcoming comeback of THE iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls anime series this July, Bandai Namco unveiled a brand new rhythm game based on the hit franchise called THE IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls Starlight Stage, which is soon to be available on the App Store and Google Play.

- Rhys Millen wins this year's Pikes Peak Hill Climb and he's the first to win the race with a purpose-built electric racer and set a new record time for battery-powered machines of 9:07.222. Pikes Peak veteran Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima placed 2nd in 9:32.401.

- The all-new Audi A4 has been unveiled and this new model is now bigger, lighter, more powerful, more efficient, and more technological than the previous model it replaces.

2016 Audi A4
- Celebrity couple Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera welcomes the birth of their baby girl.

TTFN!!!

TG S22 Finale

TG S22 Finale


The extended finale of the 22nd season of Top Gear marks the end of an era for the famed trio; Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, in the form of two never-before-seen clips that served as a fitting send-off for the now-ousted trio. In the first half; the trio are driving classic roadsters on a road trip involving beer, breakdowns, and a hint of drifting. Clarkson drives a Fiat 124 Spyder, Richard Hammond in a MGB GT, and James May in a Peugeot 304 Cabriolet. On the latter half; the boys are driving used leisure activity vehicles for 250 pounds. Clarkson in a Vauxhall Frontera (which is just a rebadged Isuzu Mu/Wizard), Hammond in a very American Jeep Cherokee, and May in a Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin (known as the Pajero iO in JDM). They've undergo rough challenges including a battle with the Stig's Leisure Activity Cousin, and it all ends with a race where the loser will be doing the after-dinner speech.

As Series 22 ends, the years of Clarkson, Hammond, and May as TG presenters are well and truly over and we are going to miss their zany moments from the start.

What's next for them post-TG? Only time will tell...

FIA Formula E FINALE



The first ever FIA Formula E Championship concluded with a two-part double bill in London, UK, where in the first part of the finale, e.dams' Sebastien Buemi wins with Dragon Racing's Jerome d'Ambrosio placed 2nd, and Andretti's Jean-Eric Vergne placed 3rd, while in the conclusion of the London ePrix; Sam Bird from Virgin Racing is the winner with two Dragon Racing drivers; Jerome d'Ambrosio and Loic Duval, placed 2nd and 3rd.

At the end of the first season of the FIA Formula E Championship, the world champion is none other than Nelson Piquet from NEXTEV TCR. Buemi is 2nd overall, and Lucas di Grassi from Audi Sport ABT placed 3rd overall. As for the team standings. e.dams-Renault is the winner while Dragon Racing came 2nd, and Audi Sport ABT placed 3rd.

Highlights:



And that concludes the first ever FIA Formula E Championship. See you next season!

Forza Horizon 2: The Widowmaker!

If this were a Jeopardy question, it would look like this; This hybrid-engine wielding supercar incorporates all the technological know-how and its motorsports roots from McLaren's history. The correct response; What is the McLaren P1?

p1

That's right. The P1 maybe a darn hybrid but it is the hypercar that gave birth to a new breed of hypercars; a breed where cars like the more powerful LaFerrari and the Porsche 918 Spyder have emerged from their cocoons of engineering. With the 3.8L Twin Turbo V8 engine bolted with an electric motor; it produces 903HP of power and 664lb-ft of torque, meaning that this is a fast machine that is more trickier than playing against a thousand-plus combo song of your rhythm-based app game from your smartphone. Yep, more trickier that furiously tapping combos while listening to a song you're not familiar with.

The P1 is a rear-wheel drive and the only significant weight is the air passing over the body and trying to max out the P1 is a hyperspace fury; step on it and you're gone. With such feral speed, power, and handling, it's a sure way the P1 is not designed for everyone; it's made for the chosen elite who are willing to risk everything in the pursuit of speed. It really is a "widowmaker" after all.

To prove how much of a "widowmaker" the P1 is, I've booked one for a championship somewhere at Saint-Martin and the reason why Saint-Martin is becoming my favorite part of FH2 is because something with the word "Ridge" on it because when I said "Ridge", it kinda reminds of the Ridge Racer games they used to play when they were young. But first...

p1(2)

Although no further improvements have been made because it was optimized in the first place, I had a little makeover with the P1 and what you see here is kinda similar to McLaren Special Operations' P1 themed after famed Formula One legend Alain Prost. Not my best replication so far but some guys managed to mimicked the special P1 Prost from the real world just to pretend what's like to drive a very one-off McLaren in their own hands.

Anyway, with my very own "P1 Prost" ready, the battle commences;



Now that really is a "widowmaker" but I managed to survive and won while driving the ultra-powerful McLaren P1, a hybrid hypercar that opens a new chapter in the history of motoring. Although terrifying to drive from the start because of such massive power and torque as well as its extreme dynamics only the best drivers can master, the P1 is a proud British knight who lives under the code of knighthood. Any driver who lives under the code of knighthood can unleash the P1's potential if only they are prepared for it.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Fiat 500X vs. Jeep Renegade

Through the years, the Fiat 500 has been one of the city cars that became an unforgettable car icon since the VW Beetle and the Mini, and its evolution is what keeps the 500 an Italian car with such quirky history. Sure, every purist knows that all good 500's has to be three-door but with the introduction of the 500L MPV, they believe that is witchcraft and it's a sacrilege for the 500's identity and if that wasn't enough, here comes another 5-door 500, only this time, as a crossover.

2015 Fiat 500X

Meet the brand-new Fiat 500X. On paper, it looks like a Fiat 500 that's taking the blue pill and made it larger than the pensioner's erection, but even though this is a biggie compared to its high-value target, the Mini Countryman, the 500X is just one of the fine examples of why active lifestyle vehicles, no matter how big or small they are, are the IT thing of the century.

With prices start at 17,500 Euros, there are two styles to choose from such as the City Look, which offers a choice of either a 1.4L turbo petrol engine or a 1.6L turbodiesel engine, or this; the Off-Road Look, which comes with the same choice of engines as the City Look, only this time with the added 2.0L diesel engine exclusive to this trim. While most models come with a manual gearbox, some models do come with a 9-speed automatic gearbox, a first for Fiat, which is somewhat too much for a small crossover like this. That's like stuffing a sandwich it some unpeeled apples and that's a lot of cogs to handle for a small car.

What about driving? On the city streets, the 500X still feels like a city car despite its sizing, and it feels not half bad on the open roads. It may not be a sporty car to drive but it's still essentially fantastic for an active lifestyle hatchback. Its 4WD system is as odd as a fictional novel you bought at a local petrol station because it feels like a front wheel drive but in dire emergencies, half of the power goes to the back. Hmmm...

2015 Fiat 500X interior

Although it's a small crossover, the 500X still has some ample room fit enough for your garage sale shopping from one suburban to another, which is good for active lifestyle enthusiasts who want to spend the rest of their day off go out and do stuff rather than watching TV. It accommodates up to five people, which makes the 500X as convenient as the 500L MPV.

The Fiat 500X may be a decent active lifestyle vehicle but it doesn't feel like an active lifestyle vehicle even if it has 4WD. There's another issue with the 500X because thanks to this crossover, it spawned itself its American cousin...

2015 Jeep Renegade

2015 Jeep Renegade interior

Welcome everyone to the all new Jeep Renegade. Like the Fiat 500X, it's a compact crossover that can seat up to five people, comes with an optional 4WD and the standard 1.4L petrol engine but the one thing that differs it from the 500X is the Renegade comes with the optional 2.4L MultiAir Engine, as seen from the Dodge Dart and the latest Chrysler 200, and then there's the offroad-worthy Trailhawk model, for $24,995, which has the best 4x4 capability in its class.

As a result, this particular Renegade could be the ideal active lifestyle vehicle for the job; made to picking up friends and family, doing things straight from the bucket list, and overall, this crossover can go places where no other compact crossovers can't. As for the interior, it looks as rugged as a female soldier who forgot to put on her jacket. Now that's an adventure!

But there are some flaws for the Renegade and one of them is the styling because here's the scenario; if you park this one next to the smaller Suzuki Hustler, you can see that they're both similar from the front and back and if you have problems with your eyes or when you're recovering from an eye surgery, chances are you might mistake them both. There's also another flaw and with prices start at $17,995, it's a sheer sign that you can't afford Jeep's greatest hits such as the luxurious Grand Cherokee, the offroad-favorite Wrangler, and the horrifyingly ugly Cherokee which has the face of a certain video game baddie that eats the little good guys. Lastly, there's this; the Renegade is made in Italy, just like the Fiat 500X, so when you're having your little 4th of July BBQ party, your neighbors might see your Renegade, saying that's not an American car, it's Italian, and yes, that's true...sorta.

The Fiat 500X and the Jeep Renegade are relatives but even though they come from the same womb, they still behave differently because while the 500X is designed to be more of a city car rather than being an outdoorsy type of car, the Renegade is a crossover built for their everyday adventures. It's going to be quite a long-term job to decide which one but a little heads or tails might decide the outcome.

AutoExe creates aero parts for new Roadster ND

ND-05 by AutoExe


The new Mazda Roadster ND is a great and affordable sports car you can start with but for some owners, they like to make it more stylish to please the street crowds. To address such situation, AutoExe, makers of finest aerokits for Mazda models, introduced the ND-05 customization kit for the new Roadster ND.

The Styling kit for the ND-05 customization features a new front spoiler (priced at 45,000 Yen), rear wing (priced at 74,000 Yen), and a rear under panel (priced at 31,000 Yen). For functional parts, AutoExe will provide tuning parts for the new Roadster ND such as a low-down spring, street sports suspension kit (KIJIMA-SPEC), adjustable stabilizer ring, sports stabilizer, strut tower bar, floor cross bar, member plate set, air filter replacement, center dual sports exhaust, and other parts to bring the best out of the new Roadster.

URL: http://www.autoexe.co.jp/car/nd.html

Gran Turismo 6: Goodwood 2015 and SRT Tomahawk

Goodwood Hillclimb 2015

Coinciding with this year's event, the Goodwood Hill Climb on Gran Turismo 6 has been updated for 2015 and to match this year's event, a sculpture featuring the Mazda 787B and the LM55 Vision Gran Turismo has been featured. With this year's Goodwood FoS kicked off for the weekend, looks like this will be the ideal place to showcase some of the cars appeared from numerous updates but first, let's bring our very own VIP guests...

Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_1

Well, this is one of them. This is the latest addition to the Vision Gran Turismo lineup; the SRT Tomahawk.

The Tomahawk Vision Gran Turismo is the two-decade vision of Chrysler's Street and Racing Technology division to deliver performance unlike any other. It's a single-seat MR-AWD (midship-engined all-wheel drive) created on a purpose-built composite chassis and designed around an aggressive powertrain. It's a hybrid racing machine armed with a 6.98L V10 engine and two Pneumatic Power Units; one is a Variable-Fin Quad-Stage in the front and a similar one connected to the V10 engine. This is the most powerful of the Vision GT cars because of its over-thousand HP of power output and that's not the end of the story because the Tomahawk comes with three versions;

Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_2

This is the S model which is the entry-level version and considered as a beginner-level machine suitable for those who want to get to know more about the SRT Tomahawk in the first place before getting ready for more advanced versions like the GTS-R and the X versions. Despite being an entry-level model, it still has insane power-to-weight ratio capable enough to outpace even the feistiest of the racing machines.

Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_3

Next is the GTS-R model, which is a track-focused version of the Tomahawk with increased power output, reduced weight, and increased handling grip. Because of such improvements, the driver needs to wear a special G-suit, provided as a gift after the update, to counteract the physiological effects of extreme lateral g-forces. The GTS-R's aerodynamics are enhanced with a dual-element version of the active rear wing and to avoid any high pressure buildup in the wheel wells, each of the four fenders in the car is vented.

Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_4

Lastly and notably the most extreme of all the Vision GT cars, is the Tomahawk X. With over 2,000HP of power output and the cornering force of a fighter jet, this is the ultimate vehicle for the chosen elite because its performance completely shattered the laws of physics as well as the human reflexes.

The biggest party piece of the X is the low-drag mode and when you hold down the R1 button, all of the X's panels are retracted and seal against the body. This is handy when you're going on the straights and catch them by surprise.

With the three Tomahawks introduced, I sent them to the Goodwood FoS to see which one is the quickest but a word of warning for these three is because of such inhuman performance, drivers need some precise skills and talents to master the Tomahawk trio. Whichever Tomahawk you're driving, you need to be very careful about handling with Vision GT's most powerful machines because there might be some run-offs and run-offs can be very messy and painful if you're not careful. Anyway, not time for advice-giving because I managed to set these three some lap times round the Goodwood FoS and here are the results;

Tomahawk S - 0:44.304
Tomahawk GTS-R - 0:36.074
Tomahawk X - 0:32.117

Based on these results, it's no wonder why these three are like stages of manhood. You started off as a boy, then you work your way up to become a real man. Useful bit of science there but this is no Problem Solving here, this is the appliance of science with the SRT Tomahawk. You start mastering the essentials with the S and work your way up to master the extremely difficult but highly amusing X.

Anyway, with the Tomahawk trio done their thing, it's time for the other cars to let loose and enjoy Goodwood like they never done before!

Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_5Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_6Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_7Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_8Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_8Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_10Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_11Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_12Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_13Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_14Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_15Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_16Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_17Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_18Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_19Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_20Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_21Goodwood Hillclimb 2015_22

At the end of the day, here are the lap times they've posted at my very own GT6 Goodwood Festival of Speed;

TS030 - 0:45.140
Concept 2020 - 0:48.300
DP-100 - 0:46.029
GT-R Nismo - 0:51.074
FT-1 VGT - 0:46.065
M4 M Performance - 0:54.625
VIZIV GT - 0:49.924
Chaparral 2X - 0:38.354
Infiniti Concept - 0:50.781
LM55 - 0:40.356
Clubman VGT - 0:49.157
LF-LC GT - 0:45.510
Alpine VGT - 0:47.464
Alpine VGT Race - 0:46.954
GTI Supersport - 0:45.604
Z11SN - 0:47.313
Peugeot VGT - 0:43.112
GT-R LM NISMO - 0:45.148

You know what, these lap times didn't matter here. What matters most in Goodwood is the pride of the cars themselves and it's a great way to represent a carmaker to a much greater audience for the greater good. That's why the Festival of Speed is made; not just for setting lap times but also impressing the crowd with its own visuals, vocals, and dances.