Wednesday, January 6, 2016

How to dress as one of μ's

The school idol group μ's from the ever popular Love Live! School Idol Project franchise. Once started as a fan-sourced project made by a certain anime magazine, now propelled into one of the most successful franchises in the world and because it's so successful, everyone's fighting to get their products be known to μ's. From Honoka, Eli, Kotori, Umi, Rin, Maki, Nozomi, Hanayo, and Nico, every μ's member is unique in every tangible way and together, they can achieve the impossible not just for their school but to have their presence as a group be known to the world.

μ's Final Love Live
Image: Project Love Live!

Yes, with μ's Final Love Live concert coming at the end of March 2016, looks like the send-off for one of the most iconic anime teams of all time will be a big one and looks like we can expect lots and lots of μ's cosplay even before, during, or after μ's grand finale. Of course, the rate of Love Live cosplays are very common ever since the anime began last January 2013, there's no shortage of those but if you're new here, best to give you some guidelines on how to dress as one of μ's.

As we learned from the 765PRO ALL-STARS from THE IDOLM@STER (yes, I've mentioned it because of a certain point I'm going to make right about now), these idols are well-known for their wardrobe on their on-screen antics and because of so many wardrobe to choose from, guess I'll be focusing more on the hairstyles while leaving the wardrobe up to you.

As Honoka Kousaka: Honoka's a second year student and the mastermind behind μ's upon observing a certain school idol group at a certain school that sparked her an idea that would save Otonokizaka High from imminent closure, She's the kind of idol she would never give up on her friends. Actually, being Honoka isn't so bad at all, especially if you're going to become her for your cosplay plans. All you need is a semi-long orange hair that is not too long, not too short, just the right size. If you got the right hairdo, make sure the tail of your hair goes to your right. Perhaps ribbons or any other hair accessories would work just to replicate the Honoka look. If you got your hairstyle that matches Honoka's, the wardrobes are up to you.

As Eli Ayase: Eli Ayase is a quarter Russian senior student of Otonokizaka High and the president of the school's student council. At first, she denied Honoka's idea of having a school idol group but later on, because of Eli's desperate goal to save the school, she became part of μ's. Although her personality is cool as ice, her iconic smart and cute characteristics donned her the KKE nickname. That's Kashikoi Kawaii Elichika. Becoming the quarter Russian school idol is no slouch. First, save a long blonde wig for the job. For blondes with long hair, disregard this notice or if you cut your hair by accident, best to have one. If you got the blonde hair ready, give it a more sophisticated ponytail look to replicate that KKE appeal. With the hairdo now KKE-worthy, feel free to pick on the outfits either from the anime or from the School Idol Festival game regardless of rarity. Oh, and don't forget Elichika's keyword; Хорошо!

As Kotori Minami: Kotori's a second year student and one of Honoka's childhood friends. A kindhearted idol with a pure heart, Kotori's got a talent for making costumes for μ's. Actually, you may find that Kotori sounds and looks like a little girl, making her one of the most adorable members of μ's, and becoming her isn't a hard task. First, the wig of choice has to be long and it's sorta amber-colored. I bet it's colored amber but anyway, with the amber-colored hair ready, be ready with an array of hair accessories (ribbons presumably) that can be placed on your right side. Again, your right side. With Kotori's hair now in session, feel free to choose whatever costumes you like.

As Umi Sonoda: Umi's a second year student and one of Honoka's childhood friends. She's a member of the school's archery club and although she's the silent type, this μ's member is a sharp instrument, although she might find her dull in a game of cards. For those who want to dress as Umi, there's only one major requirement for this job: a long blue-colored hair. That's it. Just a long blue-colored hair and the outfits that Umi wore in the series are up to you.

As Rin Hoshizora: Rin is a freshman student who loves sports and of course, ramen. Although being the sporty type of idol you would want to hang out more often, her feline personality always gets the better of her. Like we learned from Honoka's, best to have an orange wig for the job but this time, make it shorter. With the short orange hair now primed and ready, feel free to decide on which outfit you'll dress.

As Maki Nishikino: Maki's a freshman student and her parents run a very successful hospital, therefore she's a rich girl with a sassy attitude. Although being a well-rounded tsundere, she's very skilled at playing the piano. To become Maki, best to get your red wig ready, as long as the sizing's just right to match Maki's. If so, feel free to pick whatever outfits Maki wore but for hotter recommendations, try to dress as Maki in her Wonderful Rush outfit. That will make fanboys wet their pants during bedtime.

As Nozomi Tojo: Nozomi's a senior student and the vice president of the school's student council. Although fortune-telling is Nozomi's top specialty as well as her caring personality, don't let her luck get the drop onto you because deep down, she can be very conniving, especially her signature "washi washi" pose. Aside from being the big-chested member of μ's, she's also got one of the biggest pigtails of any anime character you know, To do so, find a long hair that has shades of violet, then give it a twin-tail look to replicate Nozomi's. If done, feel free to choose whatever outfit Nozomi wore in the show.

As Hanayo Koizumi: Hanayo's a freshman, just like Rin and Maki, and although she has a bashful personality, her responsibility as one of μ's shows that she's doing her best to change. Believe it or not, she has love for plain white rice, which explains a lot. Becoming Kayo-chin is a challenge because while her hair is short, it's hard to tell if it's gold or a bit brownish (can't tell which) but if you figured out the color of the short wig that matches Hanayo, be sure to decide which costume best suits your Hanayo cosplay.

As Nico Yazawa: Nico may look like a little girl but she's a senior student just like Nozomi and Eli, and annoyingly a blabbermouth and a clumsy type. Despite her flaws, she's a good idol girl no one can resist her cute charm as well as saying her signature "Nico-Nico-Ni!" catchphrase. Becoming Nico, it takes a black semi-long hair and some twin-tails to do the trick nicely. Once you're done, feel free to decide on the costumes fit for your Nico cosplay. Oh, and don't forget her catchphrase: "Nico-Nico-Ni!

And there you have it. Being one of μ's from the Love Live anime series can be a fun experience either by yourself or with a group of mates as long as the costumes you wore are well matched to the μ's member of your liking. The stage is yours, Lovelivers! 

Fight, Dayo!

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Let's Do The News! (January 5, 2016)


- COMELEC asked the Supreme Court for a five-day extension to comment on the petitions of Senator Grace Poe regarding her disqualification cases. They cited the refusal of the Office of the Solicitor General to represent it in the case before the high court.

- The Senate panel reopens the probe on last year's Mamasapano clash for additional hearing. Last November, Senators Juan Ponce ENrile and Tito Sotto filed a motion to reopen the investigation of the Mamasapano incident.

- The House of Representatives will do everything they got to have the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law passed when Congress resumes session on the 19th of January. House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., issued the statement yesterday after the Third Party Monitoring Team urged the government to prepare a fallback position in case Congress fails to pass the BBL.

- The special edition cover of the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo featuring a cover cartoon of a god-like image draws controversy. A year has passed since Islamic State militants attacked the Charlie Hebdo offices and shot 12 people dead, including the editor-in-chief.

- The Arab League plans to hold an emergency meeting regarding the recently deteriorating ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The top Arabian foreign ministers will meet up on Sunday in Cairo, Egypt.

- Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabian UN Ambassador defended his country's execution of 47 people convicted of terrorism, including a prominent Shia cleric from Iran. The Ambassador states the majority of the convicts punished by death were Sunni and the move does not fuel sectarian conflicts.

- A museum commemorating the historic Thailand-Burma Railway has opened in Burma. Built during the Second World War in order to ship supplies to the Japanese Imperial Army, it is often nicknamed as the Death Railway because thousands of POWs and local workers died during its construction. The railway was the setting for the movie "The Bridge on the River Kwai". The new museum opened at Thanbyuzayat, the first stop on the Burma side of the border.

- For the 2016 Consumer Electronics Showcase, the newly established Faraday Future unveiled their maiden vehicle; a single-seater EV racecar called the FFZERO1.

- Italian hypercar maker Pagani is teasing an upcoming hardcore version of the Huayra, set to be revealed this year.

- Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach understands why Colombians are upset after the controversy that surrounded the pageant. The situation of her having bashers are nothing new to her. Her message to the Colombians as well as Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez? She states that with these things, she understands that mistakes often happen.

- Philippine TV network ABS-CBN responds on the complaint of alleged humiliations of former talents posted against director Cathy Garcia-Molina.

TTFN!!!

Monday, January 4, 2016

Let's Do The News! (January 4, 2016)



- Three Supreme Court justices who were members of the Senate Electoral Tribunal, will be inhibited from Senator Grace Poe's disqualification case. The three Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, and Arturo Brion, decided not to take part in the review. According to report, a petitioner, who earlier asked the high court to reverse her case, received the copy of the notice.

- The Department of Defense has allotted a 106.138 million peso budget for the ammunition for the nation's newly acquired FA-50 fighter jets. This budget will be used for the acquisition of 93,600 20mm rounds for the Korean-made fighter jets' machine gun.

- Four big-ticket items for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines such as radars for territorial defense and drones for combat operations, are awaiting implementations by the Defense Department.

- Numerous jeepney drivers and operators held protest in front of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to oppose the proposal to phase out old jeep units. The proposed phaseout is part of the modernization program of the government but it's not yet finalized according to Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez.

- Saudi Arabia's decision to cut ties with Iran sparked concerns over further instability in the Middle East. The decision to cut ties came after the execution of a prominent Shia cleric by the Saudi Arabian government, which led protesters in Iran to attack the nation's embassy.

- An Islamic extremist group in Somalia used a clip of US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in a recruitment video, where Trump calls for banning all Muslims from entering the United States. The extremist group, Al-Shabab, is an Al-Qaeda affiliate.

- A M6.7 quake struck the northeastern region of India, killing six people and injuring 50. The quake, according to the USGS, happened around 0430 hours on Monday. It's focus was 29km west of the city of Imphal at 55km deep.

- Wine production in Japan is expanding as wines made exclusively from domestically-grown grapes are becoming more popular. One example is major beer producer Sapporo Breweries opened a bar specializing in Japanese wines in Tokyo's Ginza district last month. The firm's shipments have tripled in half a decade and plans to develop more high-end products.

- Actress Liza Soberano celebrated her 19th birthday with a boho glamping party at Club Balai Isabel in Batangas last night.

- Pauleen Luna is ready to send out invitations for her wedding with Eat Bulaga presenter Vic Sotto this month. Recently, the coupe led the house blessing rites for their new Laguna home.

TTFN!!!

Forza Motorsport 6: First taste of the new C63 Coupe

In a bold surprise move, the Mobil 1 Car Pack in Forza Motorsport 6 featured one of the hottest Mercedes-AMG models car enthusiasts are looking forward this 2016. It's the coupe version of Mercedes-AMG's all-new C63. So, what's it all about the new C63?

c63


The arrival of Mercedes-AMG's new C63 not only sees the departure from its previous naming but for the first time in a C-Class, a turbocharged V8 engine is offered, only this time a 4.0L Twin Turbo V8 engine sourced from the Mercedes-AMG GT.

Following the four-door saloon and the estate model, the coupe version of the Mercedes-AMG C63 is added on the range and sales will be commenced in the first quarter of 2016 in Europe. It made its world premier at the Frankfurt International Motor Show last September 2015.

The base C63's 4.0L V8 engine produces 469HP of power and 479  lb-ft of torque but in the high-end S model, it produces 503HP of power and 516 lb-ft of torque, around four less than the previous limited-edition C63 Edition 507. Mated with the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed gearbox, the C63 S Coupé accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and top speed electronically limited to 250kph or 290 km/h with the optional AMG Driver's Package.

Aside from the engine, the new C63 Coupe offers improved dynamics such as the AMG RIDE CONTROL suspension with electronically controlled shock absorbers, AMG DYNAMIC SELECT transmission modes, the rear-axle limited-slip differential or the dynamic engine mounts.

c63 (2)

Although this is essentially the coupe model, I am more than happy to be one of the lucky people to experience what's like behind the wheel of the all new Mercedes-AMG C63. So, what's it like to drive? Well, like all good idols, a good sportscar needs to excel in three traits; Visuals, Vocals, and Dance. In the Visual side, it looks striking to look at and overall, it's surprisingly sexy as a dead man who shot himself at the head but amazingly survived. In the vocals, well because it has a similar engine output as the Mercedes-AMG GT sportscar, you might think that this downsized V8 will produce a much weaker noise compared to the old C63's 6.2L V8 but to my amazement, it sounds rougher than ever before. As the way this car dances, well, I guess it will be the ideal time to compare this to the BMW M4.

m4

The venue for the deadly rivalry between the two super two-door saloons is Hockenheimring but I've gone to the National Circuit layout because they're essentially road cars. In short observation, I might think that the new C63 has the upper hand against the M4 because it's much more powerful but the M4 weighs less than the M4, meaning that this duel will be very one-sided. Without further ado, let battle commence...


After one hot lap later, the results are in. The M4 did it in 1:54.970 while the new Mercedes-AMG C63 did it in 1:53.356, which means that despite the added weight, the new C63 performed better than the M4 thanks to its clever dynamics, powerful engine, and its motorsport knowhow  Looks like Mercedes knows how to fight back against the opposition.

Saturday, January 2, 2016

Alden's Birthday Celebration in EB Kalyeserye!


Pambansang BAE, Alden Richards, turns 24 this year and to help celebrate his birthday, or should they say BAEDay, GMA's noontime show Eat Bulaga has thrown him the biggest birthday celebration ever!

Even the Kalyeserye gals were present to celebrate his very celebration and as for Yaya Dub, she even made a very special birthday cake just for even.

Alden's friends and family appeared on his birthday and what's even more surprising is his dad's arrival.

It was one heck of a birthday bash to him! With all that, Happy BAE Day, Alden Richards!

#BubbleGang - January 1, 2016

On the January 1, 2016 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Jedi gags

- Hugot lines for New Year!

- Today's news gets reversed




- RJ Padilla takes on TSUGI O CHORVA!

- Mamaw makes a mess on the cleanup

- Taking a rap on the doctor, yo!

- Parenting problems with repeating words

- Questions at the meeting are answered

Jubilee of Mercy: Opening of the Holy Door at St. Mary Major

The Extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy kicks off today at the Vatican City with the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Jubilee of Mercy logo


The Catholic church celebrated the start of the year 2016 with the opening of the Holy Door at St. Mary Major, which is part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, running now until November 2016.




Known as the Our Lady of the Snows, this is one of the oldest churches dedicated to the Mother of God, and the largest in the world, making it the perfect place for Pope Francis to choose the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God to open the Holy Door. When the Jubilee of Mercy began last November, the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica is opened to begin the very event and then followed by other cathedrals of the world a month later.

The Jubilee of Mercy continues with the Jubilee for those Engaged in Pilgrimage Work on the 19th of January, 2016.

Friday, January 1, 2016

Let's Do The News! (January 1, 2016)


- One of the Philippines, most influential religious organization, the Iglesia Ni Cristo, has set three Guinness World Records in welcoming the year 2016. It had broke the world record for the largest firework display with around 700,000 pieces lit up at the sky for almost an hour, a new world record for the largest number of sparklers lit in relay and the most sparkles lit simultaneously.

- The number of firework-related injuries in New Year's Day is recorded at 384 as of 0600 hours Philippine time.

- The free trade agreement between the European Union and Ukraine took effect on New Year's Day. Meanwhile, Russia suspended a free trade zone agreement with Ukraine. Under the agreement, tariffs involving bilateral trade will be gradually removed over the next decade.

- While the city of Dubai is celebrating New Year's Day in style, a fire was engulfed at a high-rise hotel, injuring 16 people inside. Authorities say the fire started on the 20th floor of the 63-story Address Downtown Dubai hotel and the flames mainly spread on the building's exterior. Firefighters are trying to determine the cause of the blaze.

- The French capital city of Paris welcomed the New Year with security at its maximum preparedness following the November terrorist attacks. Countdown festivities along the Champs-Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe drew massive crowds but the celebrations were cut short and the fireworks display at the Eiffel Tower are cancelled due to possible terror attacks.

- For Manny Pacquiao's final fight this April 9, 2016, he will face off against Timothy Bradley for the third time at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

- Mayako Nigo, the seiyuu behind THE IDOLM@STER's Yayoi Takatsuki, gave birth to a baby boy.

- Maserati kills off its Trofeo spec racing series next season, focusing more on the Pirelli World Challenge and European GT4 Championship.

- Ferrari told its dealers to temporarily stop selling their 488 GTB models over fire hazards following the recall of the California T.

- For the year 2016, TV5 will feature a new drama series titled Bakit Manipis ang Ulap?, starring Claudine Barretto and former Kapamilya hunk Diether Ocampo as well as the remake of FPJ's Ang Panday, starring former Kapuso star Richard Gutierrez and Bangs Garcia, proving that the Kapatid network has big things in store this year under the appointment of VIVA Entertainment's Vic Del Rosario Jr. as its chief strategist.

TTFN!!!

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Remembering 2015: Sports analysis




The year 2015 has been quite an impact for our daily lives ranging from the good news, better news, the best news, the bad news, the worst news, and everything we laid our eyes on. Now it's the ideal time for this blog to write down the analysis on what's what over the year 2015.

Now, it's time for sports and for the year 2015, it has been quite of a big year for the athletes competing in different kinds of sports.

The 49th Super Bowl sees the second time the Seattle Seahawks advanced following last year's win against the Denver Broncos. For 2015, the Seahawks faced off against the New England Patriots but because of Russell Wilson's big mistake at the near end of the game, the Seahawks lost the Super Bowl match, paving way to the Patriots with Tom Brady named as MVP.

Anyway, in the world of basketball, we've seen the Golden State Warriors are named as the 2015 NBA Champions after successfully defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, despite LeBron James' return to the team, at the score of 105-97 in Game Six to win the NBA Finals 4-2. This is the first win of the team since 40 years ago.

Of course, as mentioned in the previous topics, the world already witnessed the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Following Mayweather's win against Pacquiao, the undefeated boxer was stripped off his WBO belt he won from Pacquiao when he failed to pay the $200,000 sanction fee required by the organization. This means that the belt is now belonged to Timothy Bradley, who defeated Jessie Vargas last June for the interim championship.

The historical rematch between the US and Japan at the 2015 Women's World Cup sees the US Women's soccer team scored three goals, more than enough to retaliate against Japan for their loss four years ago.

In the world of mixed martial arts, the biggest champions of MMA have fallen to make room for new ones as UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo was defeated by the Irish fighter Conor McGregor. In the women's bantamweight championship, Ronda Rousey was knocked out by Holly Holm in the second.

There are so many sporting moments in the year 2015 that shaped the world and as for the Philippine side, we witnessed that San Miguel Beer is still king in the PBA, women's volleyball in the Philippines remained famous, the Letran Knights of the NCAA and the FEU Tamaraws of the UAAP made their historical wins in the world of Philippine college basketball, underdog Filipino boxers rose to prominence in the Duel in Dubai, and GILAS Pilipinas has a long way to go in the world of FIBA World Cup.

Well, I guess there are so many moments occurred in the year 2015 that shaped the world and I think that's about it. What will the new year bring to us? Whatever the heck the new year will bring us, the different kinds of news will remain the same as before.

In the meantime...


The ten best AlDub moments of 2015

Photo: Official Eat Bulaga Facebook


As you may know, today, even though this is the last day of the year 2015, marks the 24th weeksary of AlDub, the love team that made famous in Eat Bulaga's kalyeserye segment since their first split screen encounter last July. Anyway, as AlDub Nations bid farewell to the year 2015, time to jot down the best ten moments in the story of AlDub.

1) Their first encounter between Alden Richards and Yaya Dub occurred in the 16th of July, 2015, and what was her first DubSmash to Alden when they first met? Something Chinese, I presume.

2) The YaKie weddings made a huge impact in the story of AlDub. When Alden's going to rush at the wedding of Yaya Dub and Frankie Arinolli to stop it, Yaya Dub got fainted and when Alden's arrived, it was too late. Onto the second wedding, it was revealed that this wedding between Yaya Dub and Frankie's a fake. Even the doctor and the priest is fake as well!

3) Their Dabarkads Pa More performance, on their first try, is surely one moment they will never forget. After Alden's performance onstage, he gets dragged by Lola Nidora and her Rogelio men backstage while Yaya Dub's next. While Lola Nidora tries to make sure Alden will suffer while Yaya Dub performs, Yaya Dub impresses the crowd with her Cinderella-like performance and when her performance ended, Alden's going to rush through the entire Broadway to chase Yaya Dub until it's too late. Yaya Dub got on the jeepney and her missing slipper ended at Alden's hands.

4) The wildcard performance between Alden and Yaya Dub on Dabarkads Pa More is also one of the best AlDub moments in history because right after their performance, Alden and Yaya Dub made their first encounter. They were going to approach each other until Lola Nidora dropped the plywood between them. After the whole plywood fiasco, some unknown men kidnapped Yaya Dub and this is where the search for Yaya Dub began.

5) Another AlDub moment every AlDub Nation remembered is the kidnappings and it was revealed that Duhrizz is the main culprit behind the AlDub kidnappings, which made everyone shocked in awe.

6) On their first date backstage, Alden and Yaya Dub could have made the best day of their lives but then an alarm clock caused Yaya Dub to rush back to Lola Nidora until a car accident occurred. On their second date, this time at the De Explorer mansion, they had the best date ever even with some interruptions caused by Lola Nidora's sisters, Tidora and Tinidora. This is the first time we hear Yaya Dub talked at the very end.

7) The Bahay Ni Lola Halloween Special of Kalyeserye is also one of the best AlDub moments of 2015. 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...well, you get the idea.

8) Kalyeserye does Gaya-Gaya Pa More! Shortly after the celebrities performing their best impersonations in Bulaga Pa More's Gaya-Gaya Pa More competition, fans have witness what celebrity impersonation will AlDub pull off and it was none other than Guy and Pip, the legendary love team in Philippine showbizness.

9) AlDub goes to Enchanted Kingdom! Before going to Enchanted Kingdom, first they have to attend a Christmas party alongside Lola Nidora, Tidora, and Tinidora as they will give gifts to the little children and have games in a form of a calamansi relay. After a short Christmas party, Alden and Yaya are off to the said location and hoping that they will follow what Lola Nidora promised. Of course, Tidora and Tinidora are tailing them while on Enchanted Kingdom and alongside the sisters is none other than everyone's favorite doctor/explorer, Doktora de Explorer! Muy bien!

10) In the 24th of October, 2015, the world is all one when everyone at the Philippine Arena, at home, at a viewing party, or abroad witnessed the biggest AlDub event of a lifetime when Alden Richards and Maine "Yaya Dub" Mendoza finally made it "Sa Tamang Panahon".

It was a star-studded cast with all the Eat Bulaga presenters as well as the Kalyeserye characters present to unleash their own brand of joy to the mass audience and it all builds up to the arrival of AlDub. Too bad no kiss occurred but that's fine by them to see these two finally close to each other having managed to survive through tons of challenges in their never-ending quest for forever. Of course, no event is too colorful without Lola Nidora, Tidora, Tinidora, Duhrizz, Rihanna, Frankie, the Rogelios, the Bernardos, and the Quandos present.

It's a dream come true to witness AlDub matured through the weeks and thanks to the viewers like you, forever truly exists.

BONUS: AlDub first movie appearance in their comedy flick My Bebe Love #KiligPaMore, which also stars Vic Sotto and Ai-Ai Delas Alas. This film is named as the third best picture in the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival with Yaya Dub named best actress.

Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed the best of AlDub in the year 2015 and here's for more AlDub antics in the year 2016 and beyond. Until then, AlDub you!


*Pabebe Wave

Remembering 2015: Motoring analysis




The year 2015 has been quite an impact for our daily lives ranging from the good news, better news, the best news, the bad news, the worst news, and everything we laid our eyes on. Now it's the ideal time for this blog to write down the analysis on what's what over the year 2015.

The world of motoring in the year 2015 has been a tremendous topic for the car enthusiasts and for this kind of analysis, I think I may have done much better.

Automotive recalls are nothing new to this year and with the ongoing Takata airbag scandal and General Motors' faulty ignition switches, those headlines really made a huge impact in the motoring industry in 2015. However, the biggest automotive headline that caused quite a backlash by the consumers is the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal. It is discovered that there are dubious software planted on most diesel-powered vehicles, making it capable to cheat through emission regulations. From public apologies to change of management, looks like the VW diesel scandal will keep on going this next year until this problem is resolved.

Fears of high-tech carjacking are one of motoring in 2015's hot topics. It started when a group of researchers managed to remotely hack a Jeep Cherokee with terrifying results and in response, the government officials introduced legislation protecting drivers from auto security privacy risks.

The rise of autonomous driving is also one of the key topics of 2015 as the world's top car manufacturers are busy experimenting with autonomous tech that in the foreseeable future, these self-driving cars will pave way to a much safer motoring, although some are unaware of the possible risks regarding autonomous cars and how they should worry about.

Sportscars are making a huge comeback in the year 2015 with the introduction of the new generation Ford GT, Koenigsegg's first ever PHEV supercar Regera, the new Acura/Honda NSX, Honda S660, the new Mazda Roadster ND, the new Camaro, the new Mustang GT350, the Cayman GT4, and many many other sportscars appeared in 2015, proving that even with today's economic and environmental climate, the sporscars may find its way to redemption.

Meanwhile, eco-cars are making the rounds in the year 2015 and while most models are releasing PHEV versions, car enthusiasts have been greeted with the arrival of new generation eco cars such as the new Toyota Prius, new Chevrolet Volt, and Tesla's Model X crossover.

Hyundai and Citroen made some headlines when they decided to have their own standalone luxury brand such as Genesis and DS Automobiles. The facelifted DS5 is the first of Citroen's standalone DS Automobiles, which was followed with the recently facelifted DS4 range, while Hyundai's new Genesis brand introduced its first ever model, the EQ900 flagship saloon.

Motorsports in the year 2015 has been quite a big year for most car enthusiasts. Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes is once again a world champion in the F1 2015 season. Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya named as the 2015 IndyCar champion. The VW Polo R WRC, driven by Sebastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia, scored the most wins in the WRC 2015 season, Mercedes driver Pascal Wehrlein became the 2015 DTM champion. NEXTEV's Nelson Piquet Jr. is the winner of the inaugural FIA Formula E championship. There are so many motorsport moments happened over the year 2015 that made spectators happy no matter what's under the bonnet and what sort of tricks the drivers pulled onto their sleeves.

BBC's motoring TV show Top Gear made headlines in 2015 as thanks to Jeremy Clarkson's fiasco with one of the producers, Series 22 is the last for the Clarkson, Hammond, and May trio. With the trio out of the way, radio DJ Chris Evans was named as the new presenter of Top Gear, coming May of next year. As for the now ousted trio, they got themselves a new motoring show coming to Amazon Prime subscribers next year.

Of course, I would never left what's happening at motoring in the Philippines. From the newly issued license-plates, Isuzu made a Popemobile for Pope Francis during his Papal Visit, a Filipino named Joward Policarpio was named as one of Nissan GT Academy graduates this year, the worst traffic recorded in Metro Manila, and the return of the sudden unintended acceleration problems by Mitsubishi Motors Philippines, I'd knew motoring in the Philippines in the year 2015 made a huge impact in every Filipino's lives.

Check back on this special segment for sports analysis.

Kia All New K5 (JF) Hybrid

The hybrid version of the Kia K5 (known as the Optima in the global market) has been reintroduced in the latest generation and the new K5 Hybrid features an upgraded powertrain as seen on the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid as well as some unique aerodynamic features that will make this hybrid saloon quite noticeable to some.

2016 Kia K5 Hybrid

When the new generation Kia K5 was launched, it's been offered with a wide array of petrol and diesel engines available and with the inclusion of a hybrid model, there are different K5 models to choose from and for this hybrid model, it combines fuel efficiency with clever aerodynamics that is quite surprising.

One such example is the new Active Air Flap on the front. When travelling at high speeds, this unique aerodynamic feature automatically engages, allowing this car to absorb air through the engine compartment for cooling measures, That's scientific, yet very clever for a hybrid car of this magnitude.

Just like its Hyundai Sonata Hybrid cousin, Kia's new K5 Hybrid comes with a 2.0L Nu GDi engine, which produces 156PS of power, connected to an electric motor and Li-ion battery. Mated with a six-speed automatic gearbox, it promises  17.5km/L of fuel consumption, that is depending on the size of the alloy wheels.

And like the normal K5, the new K5 Hybrid comes served with safety features such as Auto Emergency Braking and Advanced Smart Cruise control, keep the car in momentum for the road ahead.

The K5 Hybrid starts at 28,240,000 Korean Won plus additional costs for optional extras depending on the variant. With the hybrid now in the new Kia K5 range, expect a plug-in hybrid model coming very soon.

Photo: Kia Motors