Saturday, December 10, 2016

Bubble Gang - December 9, 2016

On the December 9, 2016 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Magtago ka gags

- The Jungle Belles met a different kind of hunter who's interested in...treasure.

- Another Buhay ng Bakla session.

- In another episode of Enkangtodo, the Hangres are being helped...by a mysterious winged ally that looks delicious!

- More irritating situations are examined...



- An inmate tells the cops about a special inmate.

- More PPAP spoofs from Taran Tawoo!

- Today's Patikim ni Kim recipe is...Hotdog a la Kim.



- The beggars are dealing with the rat problem.

- Basa-basa-pik!

Forza Horizon 3: Another #Forzathon prize car



See this legendary Ferrari 250LM? I got this from this weekend's Forzathon event involving this time Ferraris. Looks like this weekend's event centers on the prancing horses, which is somewhat a contrast from last weekend's event involving Lamborghinis. But still, it took me 50 danger sign jumps to get this car, which is of course, one of the challenges from this weekend's Forzathon event.

So, what's this 250LM all about? When it was presented at the 1963 Paris Motor Show, the 250LM is the berlinetta version of the 250 P prototype, sharing the same chassis and running gear with a few changes. It was the last Ferrari to win Le Mans, and courtesy of the North American Racing Team in 1965 driven by Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory. There were 32 of these every made, most but not all were powered by a 3.3-litre V12 engine producing 320HP of power, Originally, Ferrari intended to homologate it for racing as a Group 3 car but FIA regulations rejected Ferrari's proposal so they made less than the required 100 units, so only 32 were made. Believe it or not, it has the highest price tag ever auctioned, starting at 14.3 million dollars.

What you're looking at here is a legendary machine with its racing pedigree and its outrageously high value, meaning that its a treasure that deserves to be kept by those who desired to live the legend and to be honest, I am more than happy to live the legend but there's a different story to that because there's something fishy going about...this legendary horse. A point I made moments later...



That was one part of the hand feels like it couldn't move while turning the wheel or was it really a glitch? No one knows but despite the slight glitch occurred, the Ferrari 250LM is more than enough to satisfy a driver like me who demands more challenges. Looks like there's going to be more Forzathon events happening with event cars coming out over the course of this month.

The Grand Tour - Episode 4

The Grand Tour Episode 4


On the fourth episode of Amazon's original car show, The Grand Tour, the boys are solving a major environmental problem involving eco-friendly materials used on cars by driving their Discovery-based cars using the sustainable materials of their choosing. James May's car is made of mud while Richard Hammond's car is like a habitat for wildlife and Jeremy Clarkson's car is made mostly of bones and animal skin, which is rather scary.

On their way to a disclosed location to do some endurance racing against certain opponents in question, the gang are venturing through the woods while pieces of materials are falling apart, well mostly for James. During the trip, his idea of a mud-bodied car didn't work so he tried polluting the nature for some alternatives. He tried bricks but it didn't work so he tried hay instead. As they make it to the race, their sustainable material cars got beaten up by cars with steel bodies real good.

During the episode, Jeremy Clarkson's making the case on the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, the hardcore version of the Porsche 911, and tries comparing it to the BMW M4 GTS, the hardcore version of the BMW M4. Then, Jimmy Carr is the latest casualty in this episode's Celebrity Braincrash, and the gang found out a clever way how criminals smuggle people using cars.

Friday, December 9, 2016

Forza Horizon 3: The Tiger's Treasure

No. There's no such thing as the fabled Yamashita treasure hidden somewhere Down Under but there's a next best thing to that; another barn find rumor!


It's located not too far from Surfers Paradise and what's inside could be a hidden treasure that has been respected by classic car aficionados everywhere. It's a rare piece of automotive history that needs to be notice. With my gear ready, it's time to find out what could this month's barn find be.



And this month's barn find is...


tiger

Well, gee willickers. I can't believe it's the legendary Sunbeam Tiger, a powerful V8 version of the car James Bond briefly drove in the opener of Bond's first film, Dr. No. In short, it's the high performance version of the Sunbeam Alpine. This is the Mark II version of the Sunbeam Tiger and with 633 of these ever made, it became a rare gem on the road. It's powered by a 289ci (4.7L) V8 engine sourced from Ford and it delivers 200hp of power, a 0-60mph time of 7.5 seconds, and top speed of 122mph. That doesn't sound quick by modern standards but the V8 noise from this thing is way top of your lola's playlist, that's for sure.

If I'm surprised, I managed to drive it to see if the Tiger lives up to its treasury status.



Now that is how the tiger's treasure feels like! Well, with 17 barn finds found Down Under, I wonder what's next on the list of barn finds that are soon to be told? Only time will tell when will they notify me the next treasure that needs to be unearthened and take it for a spin.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: US military: N.Korea can mount nuclear weapon



A senior US military official says North Korea has the technology to mount a nuclear weapon on a missile. The official expressed the view that Pyongyang has obtained technology to deliver a miniaturized nuclear warhead on a ballistic missile.

The official made the remark on Thursday without offering evidence to support the claim or stating the type of missiles involved and added that the North may not have the re-entry technology needed for missiles to return through the atmosphere without burning up and hit their target. The official pointed out that one of the reasons for the North's repeated missile test launches is to gain such technology.

The US Defense Department has officially stated that it is unclear the Korean Peninsula has the technology to make a miniaturized nuclear warhead.

Source: NHK World

Let's Do The News! (December 8, 2016)


- According to Malacañang officials, the complaint filed from the self-confessed hitman from the alleged Davao Death Squad, Edgar Matobato, against President Rodrigo Duterte is only aimed to distract the chief executive from his duties. Presidential Communications Office Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Banaag said "the complaint is nothing but harassment." and stressed that the president is immune from suit. Matobato filed complaints against President Duterte and his son, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, for the alleged crimes of murder, torture, and kidnapping.

- Meanwhile, President Duterte has signed Executive Order 10, which seeks to create a consultative committee that will review the 1987 Constitution. The president noted that there is a need to review the constitution to ensure that the mandate of the people is "responsive to changing times."

- As the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations next year, the Philippines is expected to take the lead role in keeping the South China Sea issue on the table. According to an expert from a top think tank, the Philippines is the key to keeping the South China Sea agenda for ASEAN discussion. The Philippines and Vietnam, which is also a claimant state, are expected to be the "vocal of the issue."

- The BRP Andres Bonifacio, the latest ship to join the Philippine Navy, has arrived early Friday from California, where it underwent sea trials before joining the Philippine fleet. US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim congratulated the Philippine Navy on their newest addition.

- An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck near the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific Ocean.The US Geological Survey says the quake struck shortly after 0430 hours local time on Friday. Its focus is estimated to be about 200km southeast of the island country's capital Honiara and 41km deep.

- The new generation Subaru Impreza has won the 2016-2017 Japan Car of the Year while the latest Audi A4 won the Import Car of the Year, Nissan Serena wins the Innovation Award for its ProPilot tech, BMW M2 Coupe wins the Emotional award, Daihatsu Move Canbus wins the Small Mobility award, and the special award goes to the Honda NSX.


- A new Lexus is set to be unveiled at next month's North American International Auto Show. Could it be the new LS?

- See how the upcoming Nintendo Switch works from the recent Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon clip.



TTFN!!!

Forza Horizon 3: The three-wheeled turncoat

You know that Reliant Supervan you got from a barn find? Yep, that three-wheeled nightmare that kept us flipping like the one from the Mr. Bean TV shows and gee, that was quite a challenge to get this one straight during a race. Turns out that Reliant isn't the only three-wheeled vehicle running through the roads Down Under because there's another three-wheeled car on the road and it's from the latest Logitech G Car Pack for Forza Horizon 3.



Seen here is the Morgan 3 Wheeler, and this car's no Reliant as I driven one in-game because despite having three wheels, this car will never roll you down like the jokingly disastrous Reliant Supervan, in fact, this is going to be another one of the British cars you can spend most of the time enjoying on the road and this one is a belter.



One of the most unique cars ever made in the United Kingdom, the Morgan 3 Wheeler promises to bring enjoyment back to personal transport. Although the design is rather vintage, the Morgan 3 Wheeler features 21st century stuff such as a V Twin fuel injected engine crafted by specialist engine builder S&S while mated to a Mazda-sourced 5-speed manual gearbox.

For safety regulations, the Morgan 3 Wheeler comes with a reinforced tubular chassis and twin roll bars for both the driver and passenger while traction to the single rear tire is provided by its sturdy V belt. Thanks to such specifications, the 3 Wheeler is road legal not just in UK, but also US and European road transport authorities for safety and emissions.

Customers are welcomed to customize the 3 Wheeler with bespoke leather and paint as well as polished parts for a more classic look and graphic packs for sporty appeal such as special designs inspired by US military and British Air Force, among many others.



Of course, since this is a three-wheeler, having one of these in real life is difficult because the Morgan 3-Wheeler isn't really a car at all and it fell into the motorcycle category, meaning drivers need to have a motorcycle license to operate it. However, in the fantasy world of the Land Down Under in Forza Horizon 3, you don't have to. You just get in and go to your heart's content, discovering the possibilities of a three wheeler that doesn't kill you like the Reliant. Although it's short on power, it's lightweight yet rigid chassis makes its handling rather unique in every single way. You are going to like the way it does for you because with this 3 Wheeler, you will spend lots of time enjoying it to the fullest.



Remember the 3 Wheeler that Richard Hammond drove back in Top Gear since 2012? Well, I recreated it from almost every single detail with the motif that was inspired by fighter planes used in wars from the last century and while it has some British Air Force look, it's still a Morgan 3 Wheeler and I made it just to give anyone a spark of the good old Top Gear, back when Clarkson, Hammond, and May made it great until they are sacked by the BBC. Sure is nostalgic in every single way but I had a chance to try the 3 Wheeler by myself, just to keep my hopes up.





So, the Morgan 3 Wheeler. Track toy? Yeah. Street legal? Yeah. Daily driver? Probably no, but whatever that is, its unique design and dynamics is unlike that disgraceful Reliant Supervan I drove a while back and if anyone's intend to hoon it, good luck with that, as long as you don't crash it. Get it? Good because this is going to be your next addictive ride you can drive on the Land Down Under on Forza Horizon 3.

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Let's Do The News! (December 8, 2016)


- Malacañang officials said opposition to President Rodrigo Duterte's polices and to decisions his administration his made are all welcome. Prior to his being elected president, Duterte repeatedly said he's open to criticisms because it's part of the territory of governance and democracy. Contrary to ouster plot rumors, the Liberal Party says no "yellow" plot to oust Duterte and install VP Leni Robredo in the presidency.

- A new Human Rights Watch report urged the Philippine government to promote condom use to prevent the sharp rise of HIV cases in the Philippines, where 32,647 diagnosed cases have been reported since 1984. Despite government data showing a tenfold increase in infections among MSMs between 2010 and 2015, the Department of Health Epidemiology Bureau reported in March that sex between males was the most predominant mode of transmission among males diagnosed with HIV since 1984 at around 81%.

- Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana says that it's highly unlikely his country will allow the US military to use it as a springboard for freedom of navigation patrols in the disputed South China Sea to avoid antagonizing China. Lorenzana said US ships and aircraft could use bases in Guam, Okinawa, or fly from aircraft carriers to patrol the disputed waters.

- December 7th, 2016 marks the 75th anniversary of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and US President Barack Obama, whose term ends next month, has observed this milestone by expressing readiness to visit the site in Hawaii with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe this month.
- US President Donald Trump nominates Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as the next chief of the Environmental Protection Agency. Pruitt is infamous for his support for fossil fuels and he strongly opposed against the Obama administration's environmental policy.

- The Japanese Foreign Ministry has officially announced Russian president Vladimir Putin to visit Japan next week. The ministry said that Putin will have an official working visit from December 15 to 16 and hold meetings with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

- Experts warned that work on a subway extension could trigger a cave-in, about two months before a massive sinkhole appeared in the streets of Fukuoka, Japan. A large section of a road near JR Hakata Station collapsed on the 8th of November and authorities blamed underground work on a subway station.

- Investigators in western Japan say that a crane-truck driver was playing Pokemon Go on a smartphone when his vehicle hit and killed a woman on a mini-bike. The truck driver in question, Hiroki Negami, is charged with negligent driving resulting in death for an accident that occurred in Nagaokakyo, Kyoto Prefecture in September.

- Dodge unveiled the first-ever Challenger GT AWD, which features Dodge's high-performance all-wheel-drive system derived from the Charger. Available exclusively with the 3,6L Pentastar V6 engine and an 8-speed automatic gearbox, the new variant's AWD system includes an active transfer case and front-axle disconnect for excellent all-season performance and fuel economy.

2017 Dodge Challenger GT AWD

TTFN!!!

Citroen C-Elysee

2016 Citroen C-Elysee

When Citroen decided to sell the C-Elysee compact saloon in Europe following its success in developing markets, including the People's Republic of China, the French car company wanted to make sure that their most affordable four-door saloon tries to cut off against the likes of other low budget saloons in Europe such as the Skoda Rapid, Seat Toledo, or even the Fiat Tipo. In general, there's nothing special about owning a low cost French saloon for all intents and purposes on your driving pleasure.

2016 Citroen C-Elysee interior
2016 Citroen C-Elysee interior

Let's keep this short because to be honest, Citroen's latest offering to Europe isn't very special to the drivers who demand more, in fact, it feels a bit as regular as texting on an old Nokia phone while taking a sip of coffee at a coffee shop somewhere in Taipei. For a compact saloon starting at 13,450 Euros, it sounds cheap for a French four-door saloon, even though it was made by the Spanish, but in terms of being an enjoyable ride, that is not a case because you don't feel happy while driving one.

The interior gives you a simple expression of yourself going back to the year 2000s where nothing in life is more enjoyable than texting and playing with your old Nokia phone at home. It's very old fashioned, plasticky, and regular, like a Manila taxi taking you home after an hour-long shopping trip. Yes, it has everything what a driver want such as a radio, an aircon, some cupholders, and anything a car should have but the C-Elysee's interior is too basic and your first impressions will last up about ten minutes or less.

2016 Citroen C-Elysee

Under the hood, the C-Elysee is powered by a choice of either a 1.2L petrol engine producing 82PS of power and 1.6L BlueHDi diesel engine producing 100PS of power, while both mated to a five-speed manual gearbox which sounds fun to our shifty hands but we're not too happy about how it performs because on its highest-spec version, which is the one with the diesel engine on it, top speed is around 183kph so that is about three kilometers per hour faster than most Japanese cars because no matter how powerful they are, they're always stuck on the 180kph speedo limit. How's about that for a plus mark? 

But don't get too excited about it because while this is a commoners' car for the common roads, its sporty character is nowhere to be found, despite the fact that the one used on the WTCC scored a lot of wins before the C-Elysee went on sale on France and all of Mainland Europe. It sure has a racing pedigree, you might ask, but despite being a belter on the WTCC, the C-Elysee wasn't really close to being a potent pugilist to its opposition but to getting to know more about the 13,450 Euro saloon, you need to understand more about the C-Elysee by how it can do for you as well as the value that will left anyone with the knowledge of resale value in question. It takes logic to understand this regular compact saloon from Citroen, but the more you understand, the more chances you will find the answer to the car's key questions about itself.

Photo: PSA Peugeot Citroen

Forza Horizon 3: The Golden Bowtie Boy



For some reasons I don't understand, those that reached their 50th year have this thing they called Golden Anniversary because some say 50 years is half a century and half a century is considered to be the golden years. For 2016, the Chevrolet Camaro celebrated its 50th anniversary when the first one was launched in 1966, meaning that Chevrolet's iconic sportscar is in its golden years.



The Chevrolet Camaro is now on its sixth generation and while it looks vaguely similar to the previous model that made famous for being Bumblebee from the Transformers films, the new model sees a vast improvement from the way it performs courtesy of its all-new platform and a choice of three different engine configurations. The one shown is a similar 6.2L V8 engine from the C7 Corvette. Although it's naturally aspirated, its V8 noise is still a school of hard rocks even on a new look and some clever suspension stuff that is as modern as any European sportscar can get but don
t get too easy because no matter how classy or sophisticated this chassis is, it's still as savage as any American muscle cars can get and you don't have time to feel numb while driving one because that dynamic character really is catered for the driver who demands more.

Of course, you don't get a Camaro in Australia in real life because once you smuggle it and convert it to right hand drive, you'll just empty your briefcase load of cash because of its shipping rate, RHD conversion rate, and the dreaded luxury tax imposed by the Australian government, but here in Forza Horizon 3, this golden boy's a visionary because while it spends time in the Land Down Under, notably the universal automotive playground where newly launched cars get their PR screen time through Australian roads, its star factor is truly original and while its preparing its role as the new Bumblebee in the upcoming Transformers: The Last Knight film, the Camaro will have a senior debut on Australian roads as the camera is rolling on this golden boy for my latest masterpiece.

But first, to the dressing room!





Reminiscent of something from a not too distant past, a special Camaro SS was made featuring the same color theme as Hibiki Ganaha from THE IDOLM@STER series. I once used it on the last-gen Camaro Z/28 back in FH2, and then another for the Dodge Challenger Hellcat in FM6, so with the Platinum Stars-inspired look in the all-new Camaro, looks like the studio executive agrees with this look and he loves to see this so-called Camaro SS Hibiki SP in action so places, everyone. Let's get this film rolling! Today's clip I'll be making involves a rivalry of two iconic muscle cars in a series of four different locations where the finale will throw them under the loop. I'm talking about the Camaro-Mustang rivalry, of course, and this sixth-generation Camaro is taking part of the action where the muscle car wars reached its highest level.





So, what do you think? Thanks to Camaros and Mustangs, the muscle car rivalry is what made American cars great, although I don't like using the word "great" when I visualize how American things are for some reasons, but still, the studio executive agrees with this view.

The sixth-generation Camaro continues the Camaro lineage as well as the five-decade long rivalry between Camaros and Mustangs but if you're willing to check out how the new Camaro stacks up from the competition, a stock one won't be a necessary one because with the opposition showing off their battle-ready versions, looks like it's going to be a tough slob for the new model but with some script rewrites, you'll never know what's next for them. Well, looks like the Camaro has done its hour of fame here but I can't wait to do some more masterpiece around the Land Down Under because with cars enjoying their fame Down Under, they're becoming originals and visionaries in their own roles. Until then, it's a wrap!

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Let's Do The News! (December 7, 2016)


- The 1987 Constitution framers didn't completely abolish the death penalty in the country as they saw the possibility that it may be reinstated. According to House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, the framers should have completely banned the death penalty if they thought it was wrong but it's better than extrajudicial killing as it follows due process.

- The Philippine National Police is looking for two more members of a terrorist cell that it said has been operating in Luzon and is behind the failed bombing attempt at a US Embassy in Manila late last month. The PNP presented Mohammad Jumao-as, an x-ray technician from Bulacan province, to the media on Wednesday morning. Jumao-as. Jumao-as was arrested in the hospital where he works on December 3 and surveillance shows he was last seen in the footage of the area where an IED was found a little more than a week ago. Jumao-as, known as a "Balik Islam", went into hiding in Bulacan after the foiled bombing.

- The Supreme Court yesterday rejected the bid of former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. to dismiss the 224 million peso plunder case stemming from the alleged misuse of his pork barrel fund. The high court justices voted 13-1 in full session and decided to dismiss the petition filed by Revilla in June 2014 seeking to stop his trial in the Sandiganbayan and dismiss the cases filed against him by the Ombudsman.

- Interim president, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, wins the presidential elections in Uzbekistan and he will succeed the late strongman Islam Karimov, who died in September.  The central election commission said Mirziyoyev secured 88.^% of Sunday's vote, according to a preliminary count, while western monitors reported signs of fraud.

- US President-elect Donald Trump says the US will stop racing to topple foreign regimes and instead focus on defeating terrorism and defeat the Islamic State militants. He introduced his potential Defense Secretary, retired Marine Corps General James Mattis at a rally in North Carolina as his role will make the US rebuild its military and make America safe again.

- An official at the European Union says the United Kingdom will have to secure an agreement on its departure from the EU by October 2018. Michel Barnier, the EU chief negotiator on Brexit, said that if British Prime Minister Therese May notifies the EU of the country's departure by the end of March as scheduled, negotiations will need to be done by the deadline.

- The brand new Opel Insignia Grand Sport saloon has been unveiled, featuring a brand new platform, new engine lineup, and new tech. It will debut at next year's Geneva Motor Show and also, it will be exported to Australia as the all-new Holden Commodore NG, the first imported Commodore in Holden history since Australian production ends in 2017.

2017 Opel Insignia Grand Sport

- Suzuki teases a new addition to the Spacia lineup called the Spacia Custom Z. It will launch this December 26th.

Suzuki Spacia Custom Z

- The Logitech G Car Pack on Forza Horizon 3 for the XBOX One console is now available. This month's car pack features the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept, Morgan 3 Wheeler, Jaguar F Pace, Mercedes-AMG GT R, and more.



TTFN!!!

Kia All New K7 Hybrid

2017 Kia K7 Hybrid
2017 Kia K7 Hybrid interior

With the addition of the hybrid variant of Kia's second-generation K7 (Cadenza), customers now have a choice between a petrol, a diesel, or a hybrid, making this new model truly a diversive one that caters specific customers in terms of luxury, convenience, comfort, performance, and economy.

This new hybrid model carries the same trick from its little brother, the K5 Hybrid, such as the Active Air Flap on the front, which automatically engages when travelling at high speeds, allowing this car to absorb air through the engine compartment. Under the hood, the new model comes with a vaguely similar Theta II 2.4L petrol engine connected to an electric motor and a li-ion battery as well as being mated with a 6-speed automatic gearbox which sounds very engaging compared to Japanese hybrid saloons mated with a rather bland CVT gearbox for reasons we don't understand. The engine produces 159ps of power output while the electric motor produces 38kw of power, overall, the combined power output is 210PS, which upsets the Honda Accord by a wide margin. For a hybrid car, the fuel efficiency of the new K7 Hybrid is a combined 16.2km/L, which is .2km/L more than the previous K7 Hybrid. What an improvement, this new model is.

To differentiate it from the normal K7, the hybrid variant comes with full-LED headlamps, chrome outside mirrors and a hybrid emblem at the back. For conveniences, it still comes with premium stuff such as an HUD, smart trunk, Krell premium sound system, and other concessions of comfort. It also comes with similar safety tech from the normal variant such as Smart BSD, Emergency Auto Brake, Advanced Smart Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning System, Around View Monitor, and many others.

The new K7 Hybrid starts from 33.15 million to 36.85 million Korean Won.

Photo: Kia Motors