Let's Do The News! (November 20, 2015)

- An open widower from a Parisian widower to the killers of his wife in last week's Paris attacks went viral. In the letter, the widow told the militants that they stole the life of an exceptional person, the love of his life and the mother of his son. The letter also states that he will not give them the gift of hating them, since responding to hatred with anger would be to give in to the same ignorance that has made them what they are.

- Meanwhile, French prosecutors confirmed that Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the key suspect behind the Paris attacks, died in the major police operation in Saint-Denis on Wednesday. Abaaoud is suspected to have played a key role in the terror attacks that killed 129 people.

- According to media reports from Turkey, the Islamic State planned to attack places in the southern city of Antalya during the G20 summit. Reports told that the militants are planning suicide bombings at hotels where the leaders stayed and sightseeing facilities in the city. They learned about the plan while analyzing electronic data seized in an investigation in a bomb attack in Ankara last month.

- The Federal Bureau of Investigation urged Americans to stay calm, saying there is no link between Paris attackers and the US as they are not aware of any credible threat in the United States of a Paris-style attack. Few moments ago, the Islamic State released online videos suggesting of pre-emptive attacks on New York and Washington.

- Business tycoon and frontrunner for the Republican presidential candidate for next year's elections, Donald Trump, mulls implementing a database system tracking Muslims in the United States.

- BMW showcased a Concept Compact Sedan at this week's Auto Guangzhou 2015. It previews a potential front-wheel drive saloon in the lineup.

- Banana Split comedian Jobert Austria was involved in a car crash somewhere in Quezon City when the front of his car crashed in a concrete barrier.

- Tomorrow on Eat Bulaga's kalyeserye, Lola Nidora and Tidora got invited to a sumptuous lunch in Lola Babah's mansion. What's the plot about these two got invited to the mansion of Alden's grandma? Could be a sign that Cindy Kournikova's going to marry Alden? You'll have to find out tomorrow....

TTFN!!!

Pokemon Rumble World

Pokemon Rumble World

It's the biggest and the most enjoyable Pokemon Rumble adventure ever and on this latest installment of the Pokemon Rumble games, YOU are the star of the story and so is everyone in the kingdom of Pokemons and as the hero of the story, you set off an adventure to foil the Magician's plot to take over the kingdom, while you collect toy Pokemons and use them to your advantage. Thanks to Streetpass and Spotpass, eveyone's Mii can join in the fun in the kingdom of Pokemon. Who knows how many Miis you'll encounter here.

Of course, Pokemon Rumble World (日本名：みんなのポケモンスクランブル) is available at the Nintendo eShop as a free download so why you may ask that there is now a physical packaged version of the said game? Simple, really. It's the full package of Pokemon Rumble World for those who haven't played it for the very first time and for the packaged version, you receive 3,000 Poke Diamonds (in-game premium currency that you can buy it on the eShop) for use to purchase upgrades and new balloons that can take you to different areas and collect many toy Pokemons for your own liking. In later parts of the game, you can use Poke Diamonds to purchase Mega Stones on selected Pokemons, learn new moves you've encountered to your Pokemon, and in rare cases, restore rusty Pokemon to make them usable.

In tradition of Pokemon Rumble games, it takes luck to collect certain toy Pokemons and when they reached the boss area, you just have to pray that you've made it wobbly enough to grab it or if you're lucky, you might see some sparkles on the boss toy Pokemon, meaning that it's a sign that you are going to grab it 100 percent. Simply collecting it isn't enough because as you keep playing, toy Pokemons (including ones you've already own) becoming more powerful so it's crucial that you can keep collecting and use it on tougher quests and battle royales.

There are 719 Pokemon to collect from Bulbasaur to Diancie as well as Pokemon with different forms such as Castform, Keldeo, Vivillon, Burmy, Gastrodon, and others. Just how many toy Pokemons can you collect, keep playing and find which is your favorite. If you think your toy Pokemon of your choosing is your favorite, you can show it to the world via Mii Settings on the Profile.

The packaged version of Pokemon Rumble World is available now for 3,700 Yen and apart from the full game, it comes loaded with 3,000 Poke Diamonds as well as other perks. Be the star in this game and have fun collecting as many toy Pokemons as you want!

Let's Do The News! (November 19, 2015)

- In the final day of the APEC Summit, the world leaders finished their meeting and issued a joint declaration for building inclusive economies, building sustainable and resilient communities, and strengthening collaboration.

- Police in Honduras detained five Syrian males traveling on false Greek passports. They're investigating these men whether they've involved with terrorism. Honduras is often on the route used by refugees and migrants trying to reach American soil.

- The British government mulls closing of all coal-fired power plants by 2025 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which is part of The Energy and Climate Change Department's phase-out plan.

- Back to the Paris attacks, the investigation into last week's terror attacks is focusing on an apparent mastermind and two other men believed to be on the run. The French police raided a building in Saint-Denis, acting on information that Abdelhamid Abaaoud was hiding in the building.

- Russian airstrikes in Syria destroyed about 500 oil tanker trucks of the Islamic State militant group. These trucks were en route from a Syrian oil field managed by the militant group to an oil refinery in Iraq.

- The Islamic State released a photo of what could be an improvised explosive used to bring down a Russian passenger plane last month. Moments ago, the Russians believed that a bomb brought down the plane, crashing through the Sinai Peninsula in eastern Egypt, killing all 224 people on board.

- In case you missed the recent Eat Bulaga Kalyeserye, it's AlDub's 18th weeksary and Alden and Yaya Dub gone on a date in the backstage of Broadway Centrum! It was a fantastic date to remember until...Cindy Kournikova came back and wants a piece of it. It was one helluva battle of the sweeper models until Cindy said the unthinkable, she's engaged to Alden and now she wants to marry him! What happens next? Tune in next time and find out!

- There's a new Nendoroid based on one of the ships from the KanColle franchise and this time it's Fubuki as seen in the TV series last January! Orders are now open for booking and it's priced at 4,444 Yen plus tax. She'll be arriving this June 2016.

Nendoroid Fubuki (Animation ver.)

- Let's take the King's Sword now! The November update on the PS3-exclusive free-to-play Ace Combat Infinity is now live featuring three new aircrafts (A-6E Intruder, F-35A Lightning II, and the F-15SE Silent Eagle), new Hard difficulty on the Weapons Base Assault, and the new "Excalibur Onslaught" Special Raid Mission, among many other improvements.

- Disney Junior will air a TV special of their upcoming TV series due next year and set in the world of The Lion King, titled The Lion Guard. The TV special introduces a cub named Kion and his animal friends Beshte, Ono, Fuli, and Bunga, as they set on a remarkable quest to explore, rescue, and protect animals in the Pride Lands. Of course, since this is set in the world of The Lion King, familiar faces are bound to appear including Timon and Pumbaa. The Lion Guard TV special will air on the 22nd of November on Disney Channel and watch for the TV series coming to Disney Junior next year. Check local listings.

TTFN!!!

Super GT 2015 highlights

For eight rounds, this 2015 season of the Super GT race series has been quite a thrilling feat for JDM lovers everywhere who just can't get enough of Japanese (or foreign) touring cars racing through Asia's finest racetracks. From GT500 favorites such as the Nissan GT-R, Lexus RC-F, and the Honda NSX, to peculiar GT300 machines such as the Toyota Prius, Mercedes SLS AMG, to Honda CR-Z, no one said that any touring car race is more exciting than the Super GT series.

Here's the quick digest of the eight-round Super GT 2015 season from start to finish. On the first round of the Super GT 2015 season in Okayama, the #32 KeePer TOM'S RC F placed 1st in the GT500 class with the #31 TOYOTA PRIUS apr GT placed 1st in the GT300 class. In Fuji Speedway for the 2nd round,  the #1 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R for the GT500 class and the #10 GAINER TANAX GT-R for the GT300 class are the winners for the second round. In Round 3 at Thailand, the #46 S Road MOLA GT-R (GT500) and the #3 B-MAX NDDP GT-R (GT300) stood out to become winners. The fourth round back at Fuji sees the victory of the #24 D'station ADVAN GT-R in GT500 and the #55 ARTA CR-Z GT in GT300. In Suzuka for round five, it's a kudos for the #36 PETRONAS TOM'S RC F and the #`0 GAINER TANAX GT-R. Sixth round in Sugo is a lucky round for the #100 RAYBRIG NSX CONCEPT-GT and the  #25 VivaC 86 MC. The semi-finals at Autopolis sees impressive wins for the #1 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R and the #3 B-MAX NDDP GT-R. And finally, in the final round at Twin Ring Motegi, the #37 KeePer TOM'S RC F scored a win at the GT500 class while the #31 TOYOTA PRIUS apr GT performed brilliantly in the GT300 class.

#1 MOTUL Autech GT-R

The winner of the 2015 Super GT season is the #1 MOTUL Autech GT-R for the GT500 class, driven by Tsugio Matsuda and Ronnie Quintarelli while the GT300 overall winner goes to the #10 GAINER TANAX GT-R, driven by Andre Couto and Katsumasa Chiyo. A back-to-back win for Nissan! Well done!

Photo: Nissan Motor Corporation

F1 2015: Brazilian GP

Photo: Associated Press

As the climax for this season's Formula One draws near, the semi-final round held in Sao Paulo, Brazil is proven to be a heated battle not just for the two Mercedes drivers Hamilton and Rosberg, but for any Formula One driver who's got talent to impress the audiences. Even ninth-place finisher Max Verstappen from Toro Rosso is enjoying himself in the race.

In the end, Rosberg wins the Brazilian GP with Hamilton placed 2nd and Ferrari's Vettel placed third.

Onto the final standings, Lewis Hamilton's in the lead with 363 points, Nico Rosberg's in 2nd place with 297 points, and Sebastian Vettel's in 3rd place with 266 points.

The final round of the F1 2015 season will commence in Abu Dhabi on the 29th. Who will win the championship? Will this be the second time Hamilton's the world champ? Well, since he's in the lead right now, he's very likely to snag the title in the end but watch for it.

Forza Motorsport 6: A real Formula One legend

Now here's the racing machine straight from Forza Motorsport 6's eBay Motors Car Pack everyone will love due to its unprecedented heritage that commands their upmost respect and it's the one every Formula One aficionados in the world are particularly fond of; Ayrton Senna's McLaren-Honda MP4/4.



Arguably one of the most dominant Formula One cars of all time, the McLaren MP4/4 was known for winning 15 out of 16 races in the 1988 season. The #11 was piloted by Alain Prost while the legendary #12 was piloted by the legendary Ayrton Senna. The McLaren Formula One team scored 199 points to garner the constructor's champion title but it was Senna's performance of eight wins garnered him his world champion status for the 1988 season.

The MP4/4's design was penned by Steve Nichols and Gordon Murray. It comes with a carbon fiber honeycomb monocoque for the chassis, double wishbones with pull-rod actuated coil springs and dampers for the suspension, a Weismann-McLaren 6-speed manual gearbox, and a 1.5L Honda RA168-E V6 turbo engine, one of the most powerful Formula One engines of all time.

Neil Trundle, McLaren's Chief Mechanic, says that this Formula One machine features a lightweight body, outstanding downforce, highly efficient brakes, fantastic suspension, and a fabulous V6 Honda engine that made the MP4/4 one of the best racecars McLaren made.

I am very honored to drive one of the most successful Formula One cars of all time because of the heritage set by the legendary Ayrton Senna himself. However, don't get too excited because even though you're inside a legendary machine, you have to be very skillful enough to master its unrivaled potential hidden beneath its carbon fiber monocoque chassis because this is the ultimate F1 legend made for the chosen few.

To find out, I need to drive this F1 legend in one of the tracks the MP4/4 set foot and it's none other than Hockenheimring because the producers sent us on a time attack using the car and this track. Yep, it's a monthly challenge set by the FM producers in honor of every DLC Car Pack release.



Here's a little tidbit; during their qualifying rounds at the Hockenheimring during the 1988 season, this machine set its fastest top speed record of 207mph with both Prost and Senna behind the wheel on the 1.6km long straight.

Anyway, since we're in the modern Hockenheimring, it would be nearly impossible to pull such a thing on this car but I did manage to lap this car around the track in 1:42.124. Not the fastest lap around but doesn't matter because no matter how I did, I am very grateful to drive this legendary machine that was once driven by a Formula One legend.

Let's Do The News! (November 18, 2015)

-  There was a gunfight occurred between French police and unidentified suspects early Wednesday morning in Saint-Denis, north of Paris. French authorities are conducting a manhunt on suspected terrorists behind last week's Paris attacks. Reports told that police searched an apartment in their hunt for Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a Belgian man of Moroccan descent who is believed to have joined the Islamic State militants in Syria and was allegedly involved in the attacks.

- During today's APEC Summit, US President Barack Obama has urged the People's Republic of China to stop reclaiming land and building military facilities in disputed areas of the South CHina Sea. However, Chinese leader Xi Jinping states that most Asia-Pacific nations should not allow anything to disrupt his nation's development.

- Egyptian authorities are taking consideration over the terrorism theory in the Russian plane crash in the Sinai Peninsula last month, killing 224 people onboard.

- France has separately agreed to collaborate with the US and Russia in the ongoing fight against the Islamic State militants.

- Hacktivist group Anonymous took down 5,500 online accounts linked to the Islamic State.

- The terrorist group Abu Sayyaf beheaded one of their foreign hostages after a failed negotiation for a ransom demand. One of the victims is a Chinese-Malaysian named Bernard Ghen Ted Fen and his execution by the terrorists coincided with the arrival of world leaders in the APEC Summit.

- In case you missed the latest Eat Bulaga kalyeserye, as the competition between Yaya Dub and a model named Cindy Kournikova heats up, the unthinkable just happened when Cindy walked out from Alden because he's too much for her. Hooray! Victory's for AlDub....or is it?! What happens next now that AlDub's weeksary is tomorrow? Tune in next time and find out!

- Bandai Namco Entertainment to end services of THE IDOLM@STER Mobile i app on the 18th of January, 2016.

- After his explosive success from the recent Bond film 007: SPECTRE, Daniel Craig tries his shot on stage play as he will be playing as Iago in an off-Broadway production of William Shakespeare's Othello next year alongside David Oyelowo as the titular role.

- A limited-edition Wardog-spec F-14A Tomcat, part of the Ace Combat lineup of model kit planes, by Hasegawa was unveiled. Available on the 5th of December for 4,600 Yen, hobbyists can recreate one of the planes used by the Wardog Squadron from Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

Hasegawa Hobby Kits 1:72 scale
F-14A Tomcat Ace Combat Wardog

TTFN!!!