Saturday, October 31, 2015

The #AlDub Halloween Special!

Image: Official Eat Bulaga Facebook page

It's Halloween in the Philippines, and even though everyone's donning their costumes for this time of the year, nothing is more so than a very special Kalyeserye where Alden, Yaya Dub, and the Kalye's Angels brace themselves as they enter a haunted house that Lola Nidora's diary of secrets foretold. A house known as..."Bahay Ni Lola"!

Having managed to brace themselves in fear and a little bit of AlDub Dubsmash chemistry, they've survived and snagged the jewelry box as foretold by a message.

Inside that jewelry box, there was a message saying that a ring is inside...and it was! Alden grabbed hold of the ring and he was going to wear it on Yaya Dub's finger but then...To Be Continued.

Keep watching Eat Bulaga for more Kalyeserye antics!

Happy Halloween, AlDub Nations!

Forza Motorsport 6: The Infiniti Q60 Concept

Through the coming months in Forza Motorsport 6, there will be content updates that will address some minor bug issues as well as some other improvements that will keep the game running smooth. Aside from the content updates, there will be some surprises in store and this is the first car players got since its first content update, the Infiniti Q60 Concept car.

q60

Premiered at the 2015 North American International Auto Show, the Q60 Concept previews Nissan's luxury brand's two-door four-seater coupe that is set to replace the V36-spec G37 Coupe (known in Japan as the Nissan Skyline Coupe) in the foreseeable future.

Combining striking elegance from its signature design that adorned most Infinitis since the Q50 (Skyline V37) saloon as well as Infiniti's inspired performance courtesy of its next-generation 3.0L V6 twin-turbo engine generating 400HP of power as well as Direct Adaptive Steering that gives full control of the car's tire angle and steering inputs, the Q60 is a vision of a sports coupe that combines the best qualities that makes a sports coupe stand about the rest.

q60 (2)

So, what can I say about driving Infiniti's radical concept coupe? Well, for starters, it's not bad when you take it on a track with some normal conditions but when things get wet, you need to be pretty precise because its Direct Adaptive Steering might experience a few kinks when it gets into something wet. Although the sound of its V6 twin turbo engine is what you called artificial, it has enough go juice to keep on going until you hit the brakes. Even when I find it problematic to handle on a wet lap, it;s Direct Adaptive Steering feels very communicative every time I turn this car to the nearest corner. Same thing as experience with the Q50 from a distant past but you get the idea.

Let's give this one a go round the Top Gear Test Track, I presume?



After a wet lap round the Top Gear Track, the Q60 Concept did it in 1:33.099, which isn't so bad for a concept car that will preview the next Skyline Coupe in the foreseeable future.

#BGZombieAttack

On the October 30, 2015 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Zombie attack gags

- Istambay, Istambay Sa Looban, Tigil Muna Buong Sambayanan, Kahit Nasa Mall ka o Tindahan, Ang Albad Di na Ma...KALIMUTAN!!!

- IKAW AT ANG INA takes on...lasing posts.

- Arny Ross takes on Tsugi o Chorva!

- Soaperman and Batnaman take on the burglars!

- Strange things are happening in grandma's bedroom...

- IyoTube in Dessert.



- The Adventures of Redford Jr. and Babaless in...gasoline boy!



- A devil plots something new to lure his victims...but it's not that easy.

Friday, October 30, 2015

Tips during the Undas traffic


Yes, it's that time of the year again when families are going out from their homes and headed straight to faraway cemeteries to pay respect to the departed this UNDAS weekend. Expecting heavy traffic even worse than Edsa traffic, boredom is still the thing everyone can't escape during a long road trip to the cemetery and so is other concerns everyone might face. So, what are the ideal ways to do during the Undas traffic?

1) Pack lots of snacks, meals, and drinks on your trip

The heavy traffic on the way to your cemetery will leave you thirsty and starved on the road. The best thing to do is before you leave your home and to the cemetery is to pack enough snacks and drinks on your trip. Either your mom's fully-cooked meal sealed in Tupperware boxes or crisps such as Chippy, Nova, Ding Dong, Tortillios or whatever junk food you know, make sure you have enough snacks while getting stuck in traffic. Oh yeah, as for drinks, stock up on whatever you want; mineral water, soda, sports drinks, iced tea, whatever drink you want but one more thing; NO ALCOHOL. Remember the whole "don't drink and drive" law.

2) Entertainment

Long traffic usually means boredom for the people heading to the cemetery and the best to do is open up your car's radio and set to FM frequency because everybody needs music. Get it? If radio isn't enough, either your portable TV (if you had one), your MP3 player, or your hand held console would do but be sure that it's fully charged before on the go. If possible, bring a mobile charger with you but make sure your car has enough power to charge your gadgets!

3) Servicing

Your car is nothing more of a traveling companion when you need it so it's best to service it before you go. Make sure the parts are working fine as well as the lights, the brakes, the oil, and the electric supply. Oh and if you're brave enough through the high gas prices, be sure to full tank your car. It maybe an expensive solution but if you're not into driving, seek public transportation or hitch a ride with a buddy.

4) Internet connectivity

 A long road away from home usually means one thing, you can't do internet because you're miles away from your home's broadband but not to worry. If you brought your laptop and any other Wi-Fi capable gadgets, make sure that you have a mobile Wi-Fi with you. Make sure that it has enough load (or charge) in order to go internet surfing while on the move. Oh yeah, if you guys made it to the cemetery, be sure to check in from your Swarm! Your friends will notice that you came from a long trip this Undas!

5) Defense

A long trip can be somewhat risky because there are some jologs wanted to steal your ride or doing some kind of a Mad Max-style of attacks. Defensive driving may be unnecessary in an event like this but this can save you and your family from bad people trying to hurt you on your way to the cemetery. If you have long objects surrounded on your car, these can make a vital defense in case some crooks approached you with a gun pointing at you. Keep Calm and Aim for the Head. Time to say rest in peace, crooks!

6) Don't let the kids say "Are We There Yet?"

If you had kids with you on your trip, then you're in bad luck because the only question kids will tell you on your way to the cemetery is the dreaded ARE WE THERE YET? Tell your kids no, stop asking questions, and ask them to play with their toys. Silence is virtue on this trip.

7) Do your All Saints Day...at home

If you're not in the mood to travel, why not do this at home? Make a faux tombstone (out of your cardboard) and be sure to have candles so you can pay respects without travelling through the long traffic!

So there you go, these are the best ways to kill your boredom when the annual heavy Undas traffic kicks in. Have a nice road trip this All Saints' Day!

Let's Do The News! (October 30, 2015)




- The top leaders of China's Communist Party have decided to end the one-child policy in an effort to maintain stable economic growth as they've ended their Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee on Thursday, discussing their new five-year basic economic plan to be implemented next year. This means that an average Chinese family will now allow themselves to have at least two children.

- It's been 72 hours has passed since the Afghan quake that killed 387 people and injured 2,400 others and emergency workers are rushing their search and rescue operations in the mountainous areas affected by the M7.5 quake.

- North Korea will hold their first convention for the ruling Worker's Party in May of next year, it's their first meeting in less than four decades, state-run media reports.

- An arbitration court in The Hague has decided to hear the case of China's territorial claims in the South China Sea. The Philippines filed a case with the Permanent Court of Arbitration, arguing that China has sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea violates the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

- A US military aircraft carrier scrambled out four F-18 fighter jets to intercept an approaching Russian military aircraft, identified as two Tu-142 bombers, during a joint naval drill with South Korea. A department spokesperson state that they didn't see an approaching Russian aircraft as a threat but it's rare to see this one occurred.

- The Letran Knights are named as the NCAA Season 91 champions, putting an end to San Beda Red Lions' five-year reign and its decade-long title drought after a score of 85-82, in overtime of the winner-take-all Game 3.

- While we are excited for the 2016 reboot of The Powerpuff Girls (trust me, the new reboot looks exactly the same as they were in the late 90's), they're partnering up with, and we're not kidding, Love Live! School Idol Project for a special exhibit at the Parco Museum in Shibuya this November 20th and then tour other Parco museums across Japan until February 2016.



- A more powerful 2016 update on the Hennessey Venom GT hypercar will be unveiled at this year's SEMA SHOW. For this update, the twin-turbo 7.0L V8 engine now produces 1451hp, E85 Flexfuel compatibility, and 25psi boost. 0-60mph in 2.4 seconds, 0-100mph in 4.4, 0-200mph in 12.8 seconds and it can go all the way to its projected 280mph top speed.


- Following the success of the Heneral Luna biopic movie, actor Paulo Avelino is set to star on a Gregorio del Pilar biopic titled Goyong.

TTFN!!!

Thursday, October 29, 2015

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



- The Japanese government resumed coastal land in Okinawa, proceeding the plan to relocate a US base despite fierce opposition from the city's governor. The local bureau of Japan's Defense Ministry began work in the compound of a US base adjacent to the landfill site in Henoko, Nago City. Heavy machinery were used to lay gravel at the proposed site of a storage yard.

- According to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, a three-way summit between Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, South Korean president Park Geun-hye, and Chinese Premier Li Kequiang, will commence in Seoul this November 1st. It will be the first since three years ago.

- The top officials supporting Syrian rebels as well as government troops are mulling a conference in Vienna on Thursday and Friday, discussing ways to put an end to the prolonging civil war.

- Office of Civil Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazime and NDRRMC executive director Alexander Pama, tasked all necessary government agencies to be prepared as the Philippines remember their dearly departed this UNDAS 2015.
- Senators Grace Poe and Francis Escudero unveiled the complete list of their senatorial lineup for the May 2016 elections. The list includes Atty. Lorna Kapunan, Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, Manila vice Mayor Isko Moreno and ACT-CIS Rep. Atty. Samuel Pagdilao. Veteran senators Tito Sotto, Ralph Recto, Migs Zubiri, and Richard Gordon, are joining the lineup as well.

- PDP-Laban standard bearer Martin Diño announced that he's withdrawing from the presidential race for next year's elections and named Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, despite repeatedly stated that he's not running, as his substitute candidate.

- In case you missed the latest Eat Bulaga kalyeserye, it's AlDub's 15th weeksary and following Alden's retrieval of the key to Lola Nidora which will lead them to the mysterious house as Lola Nidora's diary of secret foretold this Halloween, the address of the so-called "Bahay Ni Lola" is revealed. It's 1886 Kababalaghan St., Brgy. Pugot Ulo, Pangmayaman Subd.

- In a weird way, the famous Michelangelo statue of David has spawned a figma toy courtesy of Good Smile Company.


- Nintendo will launch their first-ever smartphone app game this next year as well as detailing new account system as well as their new "My Nintendo" global membership service.

- Onto the issue of Filipinos shining out on foreign reality singing shows; a Fil-Aussie crooner Cyrus Villanueva made it to the Top 6 of the seventh season of X Factor Australia while Fil-Am singer Amy Vachal is part of Team Adam Levine on the ninth season of NBC's The Voice.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

HEART TO HEART!

HEART TO HEART!

The latest update on the ever-popular Love Live! School Idol Festival app game (at least in Japan) featured a brand new song from the now-legendary school idol unit μ's. Titled HEART TO HEART!, School Idol Festival players tried so hard to master this latest of the School Idol Festival-original songs and after you spent several days getting an S Rank Full Combo at this song in all difficulty settings, why not take a break by listening to μ's latest single featuring the titular song (the extended version never before heard).

The latest single features two songs, HEART TO HEART! and 嵐のなかの恋だから, as heard on the School Idol Festival game and for a limited time only, there's a serial code that can unlock a Super Rare μ's idol for use in the School Idol Festival game.

TRACK LISTINGS:

01. HEART to HEART!
02. 嵐のなかの恋だから
03. HEART to HEART!(Off Vocal)
04. 嵐のなかの恋だから(Off Vocal)

Let's Do The News! (October 28, 2015)



- A US defense official says that they will continue navigating their naval vessels in waters off Chinese-made islands in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. Yesterday, the US government confirmed that their destroyer passed within 12 nautical miles of the Subi Reef, one of the seven reefs reclaimed by China.

- Last Monday, a powerful M7.5 quake struck Afghanistan, killing less than 300 people and injured over 1,600, according to the Pakistani government. The quake struck not just in northern Afghanistan but also wide areas in countries including Pakistan, India, and Uzbekistan. Right now, emergency workers are conducting SAR operations in affected areas. The Taliban is also conducting SAR as well.

- According to a nationwide poll in the US, business tycoon Donald Trump has fallen from the top spot in the race for the Republican Party's presidential nomination, beaten by former neurosurgeon Ben Carson.

- According to the head of the International Olympic Committee, refugee athletes are more than welcome to take on next year's Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Until now, qualified refugee athletes weren't able to participate in Olympics because they couldn't represent their home country and its national Olympic committee, but the IOC decided to allow refugee athletes to participate and live in the Olympic Village alongside the other athletes, and march with the Olympic flag in the opening ceremony.

- Senator Grace Poe apologized the public over her perception that she dropped former Senator Ping Lacson from her senatorial slate in next year's elections.

- Rugby organizations unveiled the official logo for the 2019 World Rugby Cup in Japan.

- Tekken 7 is coming on the Playstation4 and PlaystationVR! This was announced during the Paris Games Week's PlayStation conference. Finally! Reunited with its rightful console with new and exciting ways to bring the latest installment in Bandai Namco's hard-hitting fighting franchise to everyone.



- Gran Turismo Sport is announced and it's coming to the Playstation4 with a beta access coming this 2016. GT Sport features a new step in the fastest-selling racing simulator franchise with partnership with FIA, turning this game into a competitive sport in its own right. Players can represent their home nations or represent their favorite car manufacturer.



- The title of the upcoming Sherlock special episode is titled "The Abominable Bride" and, for the first time ever, it will be aired on the same day on BBC One in the UK, and on PBS in the US, New Year's Day 2016.

TTFN!!!

007: SPECTRE

007: SPECTRE

This is by no means one of the most aggressive Bond films to date and Daniel Craig gave everything he got to show that his tenure as James Bond is on his ultimate peak in this 24th installment of Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 films.

Set in events after 2012's SKYFALL, a cryptic message sends Bond on a path to a confrontation with the sinister organization known as SPECTRE. This organization was known for threatening global stability so memorably in past Bond films like Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Thunderball, and You Only Live Twice, and for this film, viewers have a glimpse to check out the hidden world of the evil organization Bond's after. Thing is, they're nothing more of a cult bent on using the art of ethnic cleansing to rid of everything that stand in their own way...which is kinda villainous.

In addition to returning cast such as Ralph Fiennes as M, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, and Ben Whishaw as Q, SPECTRE introduces two Bond girls in the films such as Lea Seydoux and Monica Bellucci as well as Bond villains such as Christoph Waltz and former WWE superstar Dave Bautista, among many others in store. Looks like the cast is like a mixture of brains, beauties, and brawns but nothing is more so than the cars featured in the film.

Aston Martin DB10

Jaguar C-X75 Bond Concept

Back in 2002, in Pierce Brosnan's final Bond film, Die Another Day, there was an epic car chase between the Aston Martin Vanquish and the Jaguar XKR, driven by a North Korean spy Zao (Rick Yune), on a frozen lake in Iceland. Fast forward 13 years to now and the battle between the two British carmakers in the world of Bond is back and this time, in the form of two one-off machines on a nighttime chase in Rome. There was this Aston Martin made exclusively for the film, the DB10, and then the Jaguar C-X75 Concept, with some modifications suited for Dave Bautista's character in the film, Hinx. Ain't Bond cars grand? That epic car chase between the two will keep cinemagoers hanging until the part where the Aston burns the Jag. That's one thing kids might remember and doing it at home until their mama caught them and telling them to head straight to the toilets.

Anyway, the film's storyline pushes to its aggressiveness and so is Craig's because most of the classic Bond moments cinemagoers want are all blended in with some interrogation, some torture, some escape plans, some suggestive themes, and the suspense that keeps on building until the keystone pops. Although, there are some few kinks that need to be worked out, the Bond formula is all in to bring SPECTRE a burning desire to put all spy films of 2015 into shambles but not most of it.

As for the music, well, we love the opening theme "Writing's On The Wall" by Sam Smith because it sounds so dramatic as every good opening Bond theme should be but it's the BGMs in the film that some might feel pleased because it matches the tone to every scene of the film very perfectly and acoustically tuned for perfection.

SPECTRE may not be one of the best films of 2015 but it's definitely one of the best action films of the year and with all that explosive stuff going on, I'd expect that every action junkie who saw that film head back home and start making some noises similar to the film until his mama come here and send him straight to the toilets. Sorry, personal experiences, but this is definitely a must-watch Bond movie before your mama send you to the toilets.

My rating: 5 out of 5. 

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

FIA Formula E 2015-2016 - Beijing



The second season of the FIA Formula E kicked off in Beijing, China. Looks like the new season promises to be more exciting than ever with improved powertrains, more locations than before, new and returning teams, and many more in store for the 2015-2016 season.

At the end of the first round of this new season, Sebastien Buemi from e.dams placed first followed by ABT Schaeffler's Lucas di Grassi, who placed 2nd, and Nick Heidfeld from Mahindra, who placed 3rd.

Race highlights:



The next race is set at Putrajaya, Malaysia, on the 7th of November, 2015.

F1 2015: US GP

Image: Getty Images

It was a wet and wild action happening at Austin, Texas, probably because of the rainy weather due to the weakened Hurricane Patricia, but that rainy weather is one heck of a equalizer for the best of Formula One racers gunning to the top podium at this season's US Grand Prix.

In the end, Mercedes'  Lewis Hamilton scored ten wins for this season after placing first in the race, followed by his teammate Nico Rosberg, who placed 2nd, and Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo, who placed 3rd. Among the other racers survived and finished are Daniil Kvyat, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel (despite a ten-spot grid penalty given for using a fifth engine and dropped to 13th), Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg from Force India, Felipe Massa from Williams, Max Verstappen from Toro Rosso, Fernando Alonso from McLaren, and Romain Grosjean from Lotus.

Onto the overall standings, Hamilton's first place lead improved with 327 points followed by Vettel with 251 points and Rosberg with 247 points.

Only three races remaining for this season and the next race will be in Mexico on the 1st of November.

Report: Toyota may not sell new RAV4 to Japan at all

Japan won't be getting this latest-generation RAV4 at all...

When the fourth-generation Toyota RAV4 was sold in the world market, we have kept wondering why this latest-generation model isn't sold in Japan, even though its latest facelifted model offered a hybrid model fit for the Japanese consumers. Sadly though, looks like Japan won't be getting this latest-generation RAV4 at all because there's a report told that Toyota will stop selling the RAV4 to the Japanese market this Spring. Take note that only the third-generation RAV4 was still available in Japan as of now.

It is expected that it will be replaced by a new compact crossover derived from the C-HR Concept in a few months' time.

Let's Do The News! (October 27, 2015)



- Reports shown that a US Navy vessel begun patrolling within 12 nautical miles of artificial islands built by the People's Republic of China in the South China Sea. A USS Lassen destroyer approached within 12 miles of the Chinese-made islands in the disputed Spratly Islands on Tuesday.

- US President Barack Obama and his Indonesian counterpart, Joko Widowo, have agreed to strengthen their maritime security cooperation. It is Joko's first visit to the US since assuming office last year. The two sides confirmed they would cooperate more closely in the development of naval equipment and supply of military materials.

- The World Health Organization warns the public that the consumption of processed meat increases the risk of cancer, and red meat is also likely to cause the disease. Experts said that each 50 gram portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent, compared with those who don't consume such foods. Red meat, including beef and pork, was classified as probably carcinogenic.

- Former comedian Jimmy Morales is named as the new president of Guatemala following his electoral win in Sunday's presidential elections. Morales gained 67% of the votes, beating former first lady Sandra Torres with 33% of the votes.

- Over two thousand sheep have been led by shepherds through the streets of Madrid, the capital city of Spain, as part of an annual migration. Every year, the sheep are herded to the south of the country with warmer grazing lands.

- Actress and presenter Amy Perez was saddened over the sudden changes in TV5's entertainment department where she used to belong. Last August, TV5 reportedly undergoing major retrenchment by closing some of its departments including their entertainment department for the next few months. The network offered special voluntary separation program to employees as well. When Amy Perez used to worked with TV5, she's the presenter of shows such as Face To Face, Untold Stories Mula Sa Face To Face, Sapul Sa Singko, Ang Latest, and Good Morning Club, before she returned to ABS-CBN.

- The cast of the upcoming film, My Bebe Love, began their pictorials.



- Actress Angel Locsin confirms that ABS-CBN has chosen a new actress that will replace her on the role of one of the Philippines' legendary superheroes, Darna. Locsin is now under medication to treat the injury she has acquired in training to play the superhero.

- Over 41 million tweets about last Saturday's AlDub event are recorded! This is still a new world record for the most number of tweets at Twitter, eclipsing last year's World Cup match.

TTFN!!!

Monday, October 26, 2015

Daniel Craig's involvement in the world of James Bond

Daniel Craig

007: SPECTRE, the 24th James Bond film, from Albert R. Broccoli's EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment, might signal the end of Daniel Craig's tenure as James Bond, and despite all rumors, we enjoyed Craig's role as James Bond as well as the more topical, realistic approach to the Bond movies he's been through. To commemorate the latest Bond flick, which will hit British cinemas now and soon the rest of the world, let's jot down Daniel's involvement in the world of James Bond.

Casino Royale (2006) - This is Daniel Craig's first outing as James Bond in the film Casino Royale, based on the very first Bond book written by Ian Fleming highlighting Bond's first mission as a 00 Agent. Spanning from Madagascar, Miami, Montenegro, to Venice, Bond's mission is to track down a terrorist named Le Chiffre, played by Mads Mikkelsen (the guy who became Dr. Hannibal Lecter on TV) as he organizes a high-stake poker game at Casino Royale. Throughout his first assignment, he encounters Vesper Lynd (played by Eva Green), a member of a Financial Action Task Force who became Bond's love interest until her untimely death in Venice.

Quantum of Solace (2008) - Daniel Craig's second Bond film picks up where Casino Royale left off. Desperate to find out who blackmailed Vesper, Bond is on a race against time to unmask the organization behind it until he pinpoints an eco terrorist named Dominic Greene (played by Mathieu Amalrio) who has links to the organization Bond's after. Bond is later accompanied by a Bolivian agent named Camille Rivera (played by Olga Kurylenko) who seeks revenge against General Luis Medrano, who murdered her family in the past.

SKYFALL (2012) - Probably known to be one of the most successful Bond films to date, SKYFALL pits Bond to a race against time as he takes on a sadistic terrorist named Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem) while M (Judi Dench) tries to prove her innocence to the court following Bond's latest assignment ended in failure and the exposure of agents worldwide. This film introduces Ralph Fiennes as Mallory, the new Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee (who became the new M at the end of the film following the death of the former M in the film), Ben Whishaw as Q, and Naomie Harris as Eve (later known as Miss Moneypenny at the end). It also sees the return of the iconic Aston Martin DB5, as seen on Goldfinger.

SPECTRE (2015) - The latest Bond film evoked memories of the ruthless evil organization that had threatened global stability so memorably in past Bond films like Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Thunderball, and You Only Live Twice. In addition to returning cast such as Ralph Fiennes as M, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, and Ben Whishaw as Q, SPECTRE features a stark and powerful cast such as Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, Monica Bellucci, and former WWE superstar Dave Bautista (who will be the villain driving a Jaguar C-X75 in the film's nighttime car chase against Daniel Craig, as Bond, in an Aston Martin DB10).

Let's Do The News! (October 26, 2015)



-  About a hundred people are hurt when a high-speed ferry boat heading for Hong Kong crashed with an unknown object. Maritime authorities say that the crash occurred after 1800 hours Hong Kong Time last Sunday as it travelling near the island of Lantau west of Hong Kong carrying 163 passengers and 11 crewmembers.

- South Korea's defense ministry says its navy fired warning shots at a North Korean boat that crossed into the waters in the Yellow Sea last weekend. A North Korean patrol boat crossed the de-factor maritime border near Yeonpyeong Island and retreated back after a South Korean vessel fired five warning shots.

- The Kurdish authorities have uploaded a video of a hostage being freed from the Islamic State in Iraq on a recent joint operation with the US Special Forces. The footage was caught on cam attached on a soldier's helmet, showing US and Kurdish troops raiding the facility in the dark, rescuing the hostages.

- The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant says that they will complete the construction of underground walls to block contaminated groundwater from seeping into the sea. Construction began three years ago and these shield walls are 780 meters long and extend 30 meters underground.

- Catholic bishops called for a more merciful Church for cohabitating couples, homosexuals, the divorced, and the civilly remarried, backing Pope Francis' call for a more welcoming Catholic Church. The document adopted by the bishops emphasizes the role of discernment and individual conscience in dealing with difficult family situations, in a win for liberal bishops.

- The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas plans to mildly change the color of the common 100 peso bill in the coming months and phase out older paper bill designs. The new color of the 100 peso bill is mauve and circulation will commence at the start of 2016, enough to help the public distinguish a P100 bill from a P1,000 bill.

- The Mitsuoka Ryugi, a Toyota Corolla in a Rolls-Royce getup, has a special Yamato variant which is limited to 15 units, featuring a choice of black or white exterior paint, red seats, special 17-inch wheels, and more. Prices start from 3,412,800 to 3,823,200 Yen.



- In case you missed it, Disney announced that there's going to be a sequel to the DCOM Descendants in the works!



- Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the American electric car giant's self-driving Autopilot technology is approved for global use.

- Last Saturday's AlDub event, called Sa Tamang Panahon, gained over 39.5 million tweets, a new record!

TTFN!!!

Sunday, October 25, 2015

BMW 7-Series (G11/G12)

2016 BMW 7-Series

There has been no car in the world had generated much hype as the brand-new BMW 7-Series because for this brand new generation of everyone's favorite premium full-size saloon, the new model ushered in the new age of BMW and when I said new age, I mean apart from the chassis codes which is the first BMW to bear the G-codes, hence the chassis code is classified as G11 or G12.

2016 BMW 7-Series

First, let's talk about the design because while this is mostly the evolution of the signature BMW design, I find its new look to be not bad at all, although I find its front and back design to be somewhat a mess. The side view looks crisp but when you look at all sides, there's no telling how good or how bad this new model is but everyone will still accept it with mixed reactions because no matter how it looks, this is still the car worth the wait.

2016 BMW 7-Series interior

One of the biggest strengths of the new 7-Series is its interior. In the past, most BMW interiors are all uniform, they look the same regardless of which BMW you are on, and no matter which BMW you are on, you will still be greeted by their monotonous interiors. For the new model, the traditional BMW interior has been fully evolved from the ground up and there's more because there has been numerous features up for grabs such as the world's first gesture control system where your hand gestures take control of the newly updated iDrive system. Of course, it may take some time to master the gesture control because there are some few kinks that needs to be fixed.

On the back, passengers will be greeted with the host of features such as the incredible Panoramic Sky Lounge LED roof, Rear Executive Lounge Seating Package, rear entertainment system, and a detachable 7-inch Touch Command tablet that activates climate, music, communication, lighting, and more. Now, it's getting more personal than ever, I dare say?

2016 BMW 7-Series

Underneath the new 7-Series is BMW's first ever Carbon Core frame that is lighter, stiffer, and stronger than its predecessor, resulting to much better handling, fuel economy, ride, and much more. The use of sustainable materials upon making its unique space-age frame really makes this new model a class apart from its rivals for good. As for the choice of engines, the new 7-Series is available with a 3.0L 6-cylinder turbo petrol engine, a 5.0L V8 twin turbo engine, or a 3.0L 6-cylinder turbo diesel engine. All models are mated with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. There's going to be a plug-in hybrid model for next year but we'll leave it out at a moment.

The range topping 750Li with the said motor produces 450PS of power and 650Nm of torque. It can go from 0-100kph in less than five seconds and top speed electronically limited to 250kph.

Because this is a high-tech premium saloon, there are some high-tech features fit for your driving pleasure on the new 7-Series including driver assistance system from BMW ConnectedDrive but the features that made the new 7-Series stand out is its BMW Laserlight derived from the BMW i8 and the coolest feature of all: the first-ever Remote Control Parking that can be operated via your car key.

2016 BMW 7-Series

The new BMW 7-Series starts at 81,900 up to 107,500 Euros, which sounds like a lot but less expensive than Mercedes' S-Class, making it a hard bargain for wealthy buyers, mostly business tycoons or potentia special agents from a certain organization. Anyway, looks like every car enthusiasts in the world are well and truly desperate to see one of these on the roads.

Photo: BMW AG

Doctor Who S09E06

Doctor Who S09E06

Ashildr, played by Maisie Williams, has resurfaced from another time as a masked bandit known as the Knightmare in the latest episode titled "The Woman Who Lived". In this episode, The Doctor made a fateful reunion with Ashildr while taking on a risky heist that will cost both of their lives. That heist is nothing more of an elaborate plot from an alien lion man named Leandro, the last of the Leonian race. He wants to get his amulet, which is unique to his defunct home planet, and want someone's death to activate the amulet to open the doorway to another world. That death could be none other than the execution of Sam Swift, played by Rufus Hound. Good thing, The Doctor and Ashildr managed to use another "immortality charge" to save Sam from his impending execution and in the end...the Leonians killed Leandro for his failure.

No one knows where will Ashildr pop up next until a selfie pic of Clara and her star student pinpoints where Ashildr is but there's more of Ashildr's immortality mystery for many moments to come.

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