Let's Do The News! (March 29, 2017)

- The Presidential family used social media to meet and greet President Rodrigo Duterte during his 72 birthday. President Duterte was born March 28, 1945 at Maasin City Southern Leyte.

- The Philippine government promised that it will do everything they can to end kidnapping and piracy by the Abu Sayyaf group at Sulu Sea. Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Jose Eduardo Malaya made the statement after the Philippine Military recovered the three remaining Malaysian hostage victims from the bandit group last March 27.

- Davao Del Norte Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr. faces corruption charges filed against him by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. The lawmaker from Davao insists that he is innocent of the accusations thrown by Alvarez. The case filed against Floirendo rooted from the Congressman’s alleged involvement in an anomalous agribusiness venture while working for the government in 2003.

- US House Republicans rejected the Democrats' bid to obtain tax returns of US President Donald Trump despite warnings that Trump’s business holdings could pose conflicts of interest as Congress turns to tax reform.

- A powerful M6.9 quake struck near Komandorskiye Ostrava in Russia’s far east on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake struck at a depth of about 33 km (20 miles) just off the coast in the Bering Sea.

- Two inmates were killed and 13 injured during a prison riot in northern Mexico, according to the government of the Nuevo Leon state. It is the second fatal security breach within a week in the country’s troubled prison system.

- The brand new Ssangyong G4 Rexton crossover was unveiled prior to its world premiere at this week's Seoul Motor Show before going on sale this year.

2018 Ssangyong G4 Rexton

- Check out Fredric Aasbo's new Formula D drift car, the Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla iM to be used in this year's season in this cool clip by Rockstar Energy Drink.



- Dingo Inc., the video game developer behind the Hatsune Miku Project DIVA games for SEGA, filed for bankruptcy after ceasing operations on March 21.

- In case you never heard of, Alicia Vikander will play as Lara Croft in a reboot of the Tomb Raider movie based on the hit video game franchise. The first shots of her dressed as Croft as seen in the rebooted Tomb Raider games have appeared and stays true to the rebirth of the popular video game icon. It will hit theaters on the spring of 2018.

TTFN!!!

THE IDOLM@STER PLATINUM MASTER ENCORE Kouhaku Ouen V

THE IDOLM@STER PLATINUM MASTER ENCORE
Kouhaku Ouen V

As a reward for being part of last January's THE IDOLM@STER Producer Meeting 2017 held at the Tokyo Gymnasium, although very few have attended the event and caused very few reception from social media (probably because with too much Cinderella Girls on their heads right now, they kinda forgot about last January's 765 Pro All-Stars event or so they say), the anthem of last January's concert has arrived and this promises to stir up some memories on the few people who attended the event.

Titled "Kouhaku Ouen V (Victory)", this is the very anthem that promises to win back longtime IDOLM@STER fans everywhere and stay true to the franchise's fandom whenever they like. This song's got "765PRO ALLSTARS ...and you!" on the label, knowing that longtime fans like you are part of the ever-growing franchise and you are proud supporters of the now legendary 765PRO ALLSTARS from the hit Bandai Namco video game franchise since 2005. Apart from the concert anthem, two songs as heard from the concert were added and as a bonus, duet versions of Kouhaku Ouen V.

Thanks to loyal fans like you, the franchise will keep expand further but let us never forget the ones that started the idol craze since the past decade.

TRACK LISTINGS:

01 紅白応援V(ビクトリー)
02 チェリー -PRODUCER MEETING 2017 MIX-
03 団結2010 -PRODUCER MEETING 2017 MIX-
04 紅白応援V(ビクトリー) オリジナル・カラオケ
05 紅白応援V(ビクトリー) 貴音×やよい VER.
06 紅白応援V(ビクトリー) 千早×雪歩 VER.
07 紅白応援V(ビクトリー) 真×亜美・真美 VER.
08 紅白応援V(ビクトリー) 響×美希 VER.
09 紅白応援V(ビクトリー) 春香×あずさ VER.
10 紅白応援V(ビクトリー) 律子×伊織 VER.

Let's Do The News! (March 28, 2017)

- The New People's Army continues their offensives despite the upcoming fourth round of peace talks between the Philippine Government and the National Democratic Front. During their latest attack in Alcala, Cagayan, suspected members of the NPA burned heavy equipment worth 10 million pesos. The NPA are also accused of destroying a construction equipment in Maddela, Quirino.

- A lawmaker commends the Philippine government's move to continue with its patrolling over the Benham Rise. According to Magdalo Partylist Rep. Gary Alejano, the Philippines only need to be consistent in patrolling the area that is part by its territory.

- The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the final decision on the execution of a Pinay domestic helper in UAE has been postponed. DFA Assistant Secretary Charles Jose said that the Court of the Appeals in Abu Dhabi has postponed the release of its decision on the case of Jennifer Dalquez, who was found guilty of killing her employer in 2015.

- The historic United Nations nuclear ban negotiations kicked off in New York and continues within a week. The treaty is being negotiated based on the recognition that the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapon use is morally unacceptable and that the weapons themselves represent a significant risk to human security. Behind the talks, countries not participating in the talks such as the United States as well as its allies and rivals are protesting against the nuclear ban negotiations.

- Howling winds, heavy rain, and huge seas are wreaking havoc in the northeastern Australia because of Cyclone Debbie, damaging homes, wrecking jetties and cutting power to thousands of people. Wind gusts stronger than 260 kph were recorded at tourist resorts along the world-famous Great Barrier Reef as the powerful storm, at category four just one rung below the most dangerous wind speed level, began to make landfall.

- South Korean chaebols (family-run conglomerates) are facing calls for a shakeup in their governance from a leading candidate in May's presidential election following the impeachment of Park Geun-hye in a influence-peddling scandal. The conglomerates have come under the reform buzz saw before, only to emerge bigger and stronger than ever.

- Chinese tech company Tencent Holdings signed a $4.65 billion loan deal despite a flurry of fund-raising by Chinese internet giants, according to reports. Tencent, which had an original target of about $2 billion for the loan, inked the deal on March 24 following commitments from a dozen banks,

TTFN!!!

Forza Horizon 3: A New ZL1!

One of the star highlights of Forza Horizon 3's new Duracell Car Pack, available now, is the brand-new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. The flagship variant of the new, sixth-generation Camaro whose supercharged V8 engine makes it the king of Camaros and I got the chance to see what's what.



So, let's talk about the brand-new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 first and since this is the flagship variant of the latest-generation Chevrolet Camaro, some special treatments have to be done to ensure that this new model puts its priorities first like the fat man wanted to put America first before everything. Ahem...So, how about those Republicans? Hold on, did I say something?



The new model sports the same supercharged 6.2L V8 engine from the latest Corvette Z06 producing 650HP of power and the same amount of torque while mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic gearbox. The new ZL1 featured in this game is powered by a 6-speed manual gearbox because the producers are not fans of cars with double-digit gearboxes, well save it for the latest Ford F-150 Raptor per se. Anyway, while this is the most powerful Camaro ever made, dynamics are still one of the ZL1's priorities especially when it comes with the Magnetic Ride Control suspension and standard electronic Limited-Slip Differential. As a high-performance muscle car that balances power and dynamics on the road and on the track, the new ZL1 is all business or so they say. Little did you know that the top speed of the new ZL1 is 202.3mph, faster than the Corvette C7 Z06's 198mph but slower than the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat's 204mph top speed.



We now have two kinds of the latest-generation Camaro today but by the time the next installment of the Forza franchise comes, it's clear that the base Camaro SS gets booted out in favor of the more powerful ZL1 and while this is only a hunch, those who are unhappy with too much power the ZL1 possess should switch back to the normal Camaro SS but those who are looking for more challenge should look no further because, for some, they've been wanting to try the new ZL1 by the moment it came out in the market since last year. Sure it may be as potent as its big brother, the Corvette Z06, but it can't stand up to its level because of the challenging dynamics it possesses like most muscle cars do. With practice, you can really show anyone who's in charge of this Festival and pretty soon, this could be your favorite Camaro you can play with all day.

Speaking of which, time to do something special with this new ZL1...





As you can see, I've been rejoined by this familiar design I put on the base Camaro several moments ago. It's a Hibiki Ganaha theme that I made and now, I made it again for the new ZL1 with some minor improvements. Also, it's been specced out to 1LE specifications. The great thing is that the ZL1 1LE comes with a lighter weight and a six-speed manual gearbox so I tried to make sure it acts like one to get the most out of the ZL1. And now, I took it for a little outing against other Camaro drivers everywhere. Time to get the cameras rolling in...



It's almost enough to enjoy driving the new Camaro ZL1 but in case you want to go subliminal, feel free to choose a normal Camaro instead. Either way, it's great to have the latest Camaro joining the Horizon madness with us and with this new ZL1, it's all about the added challenge for those who think a normal Camaro is too easy for them.

Saban's Power Rangers (2017 film)

Power Rangers

Now, if you're one of the 90's kids, you are familiar with the TV show Power Rangers. It's a group of high school kids; namely Jason, Billy, Zack, Kimberly, and Trini, who later morphed into superheroes fighting against monstrous foes summoned by the evil villain you are familiar with. Since then, it has been grown into a franchise with numerous installments from the past and present and most of them are inspired by Japanese super sentai shows you and your parents are familiar with. As a reward of the Ranger franchise's success, the one that started it all has been reborn as a movie. 

In this movie, a group of normal high-school kids you know by now are living in an average life in a quiet town of Angel Grove until something extraordinary happened to these kids. They've unknowingly gained superpowers and they became the chosen ones who can save the world from an imminent alien threat as the Power Rangers.

We are starting to like the new outfits from the original Rangers that begin the craze, especially the Yellow and the Pink Ranger if you may, because based on their appearances, not only they retain the classic taste from the original TV show you know and loved back in the 90's but toughness is best sums it up and as for the cool robots that make up for the awesome Megazord, there's no other word for it, it's utterly brilliant.

But let's not get too awed by the awesomeness the reborn Power Rangers possess by their looks because behind their shining armors comes with chinks and that involves the storyline because by telling about their normal lives, it just feels...above average. The rivalry, the romance, the school life, especially the bit that I don't want to tell it to the kids, it kinda reflects on today's kids and that kinda spoils the intense action it possess. In fact, it's getting as real as...real life and that's kinda sad.

Despite the storyline too real and too average for veteran fans and newcomers alike, this new Power Rangers movie is all about the past and the present coming together as one and it feels like a history lesson all mashed up with titanium that is harder to break on the outside. It maybe a great family movie but some parts of it aren't what you called family-oriented. More like teen-oriented if you may asked but the harder this film gets, the better it will be and it's good to have the classic Rangers we all familiar with reborn for the new century.

My rating: 3.6 out of 5.

Let's Do The News! (March 27, 2017)

- PNP Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa responded to the allegations of Vice President Leni Robredo that the number of drug suspects killed has reached the 7,000 mark, According to Dela Rosa, based on the data of the PNP, there are only 6,000 reported killings in the country since July of 2016; and 20 percent were related to illegal drugs.

- President Rodrigo Duterte cannot do anything if his allies in Congress will go ahead with the impeachment case against VP Robredo. According to Senate president Koko Pimentel, he understands the position of House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez that he can’t disregard an impeachment complaint if it has basis.

- The Malacanang Palace revealed the results of the Pulse Asia Survey regarding the ongoing war on drugs. Survey shows that 82% of the residents of Metro Manila feels it’s safe to roam the streets due to the government’s campaign.

- As the media labeled the Thai city of Pattaya as “Sin City” and “The World’s Sex Capital”, the junta launched a “Happy Zone” at the weekend to improve the image of a city notorious for sex tourism.

- Eight people are feared dead on Monday after an avalanche hit a group of high school students and teachers climbing in Central Japan. The avalanche occurred on Monday morning near a ski slope in Nasu, 160 km (100 miles) north of Tokyo, where 52 high school students and 11 teachers were climbing, a local government official said.

- The US State of California despises US President Donald Trump's rollback on emission regulations and moves forward with the state's own emission rules.

- Ride-sharing company Uber pauses their self-driving efforts following an autonomous car involved in an accident in Tempe, Arizona.

- Daisuke Sato, the creator of the High School of the Dead manga series passed away at the age of 52.

TTFN!!!

2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup - Auto Club 400

In the recent NASCAR Monster Energy Cup action at the Auto Club Speedway, California, the heated close combat between the finest drivers in this intense oval track action has one word to describe this sheer action; incredible.

From an early disaster caused by Brad Keselowski's spinout from his car, to a massive pileup at the early hours of the race, and pit road problems for the seven-time champ Jimmie Johnson, no NASCAR would ever be complete without the collateral damage as expected on most NASCAR races but behind all the early hour collateral damage, Kyle Larson nicked 1st place in this chaotic Californian weekend while Keselowski, despite his car damaged after a spinout, managed to get through second place, and Clint Boyer made his podium finish on 3rd place.

As the month ends, time to check out the standings and as of the end of the race, Kyle Larson's leading with 243 points followed by Chase Elliott in 244 points and Martin Truex Jr. in 205 points.

Next race is at Martinsville Speedway on the 2nd of April.

F1 2017 - Australian GP

The 2017 Formula 1 season has officially begun and Melbourne has became a madhouse of power and struggle for new and returning F1 teams.

Despite Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton taking advantage of his pole position after qualifiers, it seems that Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel galloped his way for the first win of the season, leaving the Brit to second place while his new teammate Valtteri Bottas to third place.

Easier said than done, there are disasters wreak havoc on the hapless drivers. McLaren-Honda's Fernando Alonso, Red Bull Daniel Ricciardo, and seven others were one of them, mechanical problems by most.

The next race is at Shanghai, China, on the 9th of April.

Top Gear S24E04

It's the biggest Top Gear race to date because in the fourth episode of BBC's Top Gear, it's verdict day because it's the show's debut of the latest Bugatti hypercar, the Chiron.

To honor the Chiron's TV debut, Chris Harris tries it out on the Middle East and then sets off to an epic race against Matt LeBlanc in various modes of transport; land, air, sea, four wheels, and lastly, two wheels.

Meanwhile, Rory Reid plays Car Pac-Man with the brand new Renault Twingo GT while being chased by other hatchbacks. Then, Tinie Tempah is the episode's Star In A Reasonably Fast Car.

Land Rover Discovery V

After so many years, the new Land Rover Discovery is now in the open and with prices start at 43,495 Pounds, the new model is more affordable to own than the Range Rover. It's more practical as well because it's got seven seats fit for the family and surprisingly, better looking than the old Disco. So, what's it all about this new Disco?

2017 Land Rover Discovery

This should not to be mistaken with the smaller Discovery Sport, in case you got lost in British directions, because THAT is the new Discovery and by the looks of it, it's starting to gain some improvement compared to the previous, lackluster, Disco. Gone are the squarish looks and now looks more Range Rover-ish because from every angle, it looks very promising and very rewarding.

2017 Land Rover Discovery interior

While the exterior looks very masculine and very brave for a luxury off-roader, the interior is so much more than working nine to five. Although the Discovery is basically a family hauler for the weekends, this is basically fit for "Right, Honourable Gentlemen" from the Parliament and can be well fit to be part of a convoy made possible by those "Right, Honourable Gentlemen" while going through let's say the MI6, the MI5, Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, and so on. Think about this, when there's a rear-seat entertainment system on it, anyone sitting on the second row can feel as occupied as being inside of a Mercedes S-Class and eventually, it is as luxurious as a Range Rover with a price so reasonable enough to be called a cut-priced Range Rover. But unlike the Range Rover, save it for the RR Sport, the new Disco can seat up to seven people, be it family, friends, or those "Right, Honourable Gentlemen" from British politics, and when folded, there's more room for some stuff on the great outdoors, especially a trip to grandma's house, or stuff you bought from your recent thrift shop trip.

Need to say that since this is a seven-seater and when one of your family has kids, expect the sweet spots you want to sit at to be ruined by those dreadful child seats and pop goes the third row, unless if someone is generous enough to let you seat in the front, which beats struggling to accommodate the third-row seat if you may.

Having learned something from the Jaguar F-PACE, the new Discovery provides owners the Activity Key that can wear it on their wrist and can open without needing the key fob. It even comes with a special feature that can open the tailgate with the lift of your foot. That's science to you.

2017 Land Rover Discovery

The new Land Rover Discovery can be powered with a wide variety of petrol and diesel engines. It can either be the 2.0 Sd4 Ingenium diesel engine, 3.0L TD6 diesel, or the more powerful 3.0L Si6 petrol engine. All of these engines are mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox and it's not just the choice of engines is what I like about most, it's the all-aluminum platform that impresses the most because it's surprisingly 480kg lighter than the old Disco. Tough as well. And because this is lighter than the old Disco, the way it drives is pretty much like a Jaguar XF by a longshot.

Of course, being a luxury offroader, the Discovery is never complete without the very clever Terrain Response II which can adapt through any road condition no matter how good and bad it is with the utmost of its capabilities. Once more, it even comes with Wade Sensing technology which uses sensors that can notify drivers when water levels are near the 900mm maximum wading depth.

2017 Land Rover Discovery

So, thoughts about the new Discovery? While this is basically cheaper than the Range Rover, it's surprisingly luxurious on the inside, more versatile, more rugged, more technologically advanced, and above all, it's a proper Land Rover that you can take it anywhere and it's not afraid to be playing rough under the weather. I am very glad that this is a step forward from the previous, yet disappointing Disco from the past, and this is going to be a game-changer for Land Rover as this offroader will definitely set the new standards for daily drivers and offroaders alike so job well done, Land Rover.

Photo: Jaguar Land Rover

Forza Horizon 3: Race More

There is an unusual sportscar I got in Forza Horizon 3 and because this car is very unusual in the eyes of many, one clue pointing out to this mysteriously new sportscar is...well, let's just say that it's Indian.

So, I wonder what is this Indian sportscar everyone's talking about?



This Indian sportscar in question is none other than the brand-new TAMO RaceMo, India's newest sportscar made by TATA Motors, one of the largest car companies in India and the one that controls over Jaguar Land Rover, in case if you're into automotive history here.



The TAMO Racemo is simple to explain; it made a world premiere at the Geneva International Motor Show and as part of a collaboration with Microsoft and Turn 10 Studios, players got their hands on the Racemo free of charge by obtaining it from the message center. As Tata's entry to the sportscar market, the Racemo is a mid-engined rear-wheel drive two-seater that is smaller than today's Mazda Roadster ND while drawing inspiration from European sportscars. It's powered by a 1.2L turbocharged three-cylinder Revotron engine that produces 188HP of power while coupled with a 6-speed AT and thanks to its extensive use of composite and aluminum construction components, its power-to-weight ratio is beyond a shadow of a doubt. Exclusivity aside, it will be limited to 250 vehicles.



I got to say that while this is very exclusive for a very small sportscar, I started to think that I have underestimated the Indians when it comes to their economic status and I admired their tenacity to work and compete with developed countries from Europe, Asia, and the Americas. For a sportscar like the Racemo, this pint-sized cub can really outsmart against the world's best and it can slip out by surprise, knowing that a car made by Indians are not to be taken very seriously in a game of cat and mouse. I agree that while this is not the most powerful sportscar ever made, its small size car is worth a while in a war of Davids and Goliaths where size matters when it comes to becoming slippery through the bends. This is what makes the Racemo special because this car was made to "race more".



Speaking of "race more", let's make it special by booking one with a race against well-known sportscars but sadly, the only one available for booking is the Maroondah Reservoir Trail and it's packed with dirt no sportscar ever survived but on a lighter note, this is going to be like the hero of The Jungle Book. Racemo, do your thing!



Not exactly like The Jungle Book but this Indian sportscar has the heart of the world-class performer and I think it got what it takes to take on the established ones on the road because while this car is made by the Indians, the Racemo is a serious performer in the world of sportscar and it's something that should not be underestimated.

2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup - Camping World 500

Last Sunday's Camping World 500 race on the 2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup season held in Phoenix, Arizona, has been one heck of a risky gamble for the racers gunning for the top spot in the hot Arizonian weather they've faced, not to mention classic NASCAR moments that swoon the spectators.

From Kenseth's crash to Logano's blown tire disaster, this race is a history maker for Ryan Newman and his #31 Chevrolet as this race marks his first-ever victory in his career. Kyle Larson placed 2nd and Busch's in 3rd place, respectively.

The next race is at the Auto Club Speedway this Sunday, the 26th of March, for the Auto Club 400.