Let's Do The News! (September 28, 2016)

- A high-profile inmate on Wednesday morning was killed inside Building 14 of the New Bilibid Prison, Muntinlupa City. According to reports, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II confirmed the death of one inmate named Tony Co, while three other inmates were injured from the riot. They were rushed to the Medical Center ng Muntinlupa.

- The Office of the Ombudsman approved the filing of charges against MNLF founder Nur Misuari over an anomalous contract when he was the governor of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao in 2000 and 2001. Misuari is facing three counts of malversation and three counts of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act over the irregular procurement of educational materials.

- President Rodrigo Duterte left on Wednesday for a two-day visit to Vietnam that seeks to boost the ties between the two nations and to strengthen their cooperation against illegal drugs. Duterte said he is looking forward to renewing the ties of friendship between them and to affirm the commitment to work closer to attain common goals.

- Former Israeli leader Shimon Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, passed away at the age of 93. Reports told that he died at a hospital in Tel Aviv on Wednesday. He had been hospitalized for a stroke since the 13th of September.

- SpaceX, the US space development venture firm, unveils plan of spaceship flying to Mars. They say they will launch a manned spaceship within the next eight years and it will carry up to 10 people and be launched using a new kind of rocket.

- BMW officially announced that they will return to Le Mans with a GTE-class competitor coming within the next two years.

- It's the time of the year when Motor Trend pits out the best of sportscars in their annual World's Greatest Drag Race and for 2016, guess who make it on the top? NOTE: It's not what it seems...

- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure will be getting its first live-action film showing in theaters this summer 2017. Titled JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Diamond Is Unbreakable Chapter 1, it will star Kento Yamazaki as Josuke Higashikata, Ryunosuke Kamiki as Koichi Hirose, Nana Komatsu as Yukako Yamagishi, and many others.

- I know it sounds weird but there was this less-than-a-minute clip done by a Japanese man and it became a viral sensation with lyrics that will stick your mind like...barbecue on a stick (metaphorically speaking). It's called Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen and this viral video got you in the sticks. Never get the idea? Watch this...

 

TTFN!!!

Infiniti QX30

Infiniti's first-ever compact, the QX30, comes in two different forms; a hatchback look for those who are a bit of a city folk and a crossover look for those who got their hands busy on all kinds of stuff. Whichever the QX30 will lead to, how it behaves as a compact is a very different experience compared to any other Infinitis in the range so what is it about the QX30?

2017 Infiniti QX30

2017 Infiniti QX30

In its basic form, the QX30 is basically front-wheel drive and styling wise, a normal QX30 looks very conservative to look at but when you give it four-wheel drive, the QX30 looks as rugged as compact crossovers you are familiar with. Although unconventional, the way the QX30 behaves isn't somewhat remind you any Infiniti you know. In fact, spoiler alert, it's basically a Mercedes-Benz underneath because it was utilized on the same platform used on the current-generation A-Class as well as the GLA-Class compact crossover so in theory, it behaves like a front-wheel drive Mercedes. There's no telling the difference between this and the A-Class it was based upon.

2017 Infiniti QX30

Because the new Infiniti QX30 is based on the same platform used on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, you might going to expect that this car behaves like a European luxury hatchback and it does...slightly. It maybe subtle, it maybe refined, and it may somewhat be comfortable but in terms of being a fun-to-drive car on a day-to-day basis, the QX30 doesn't feel like any other Infinitis of today, giving you a stark reminder of rethinking of what Infiniti should be as a luxury car brand that lives up to its "empowering the drive" catchphrase. Still, with all that Mercedes magic, it could use a little German lessons on how to act like a German car even though this is basically based on a German car.

As a front-wheel drive car, the QX30 feels very shallow for an Infiniti to be more engaging as any other luxury hatchback but as a four-wheel drive crossover, the QX30 feels like tomorrow's another day. No matter the weather, the QX30 feels like it leaves drivers a slight smile on their face, no matter the odds. Either side, the QX30 is just an Infiniti made for the commoners in the same way their first front-wheel drive car, the Primera-based G20 does.

What's under the hood, the QX30 comes with the same two-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine as expected on the Mercedes A-Class. It produces around 208HP of power and it's mated to a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox., which isn't half bad for an Infiniti but it can be a lot jerky on your personal taste. At first, it may sound peppy when you put your foot down but as the drive gets longer, the more you'll starting to realize that it can get dreary for too long unless you want to keep this hatch to the groove.

2017 Infiniti QX30 interior

So far as hatchbacks come and go, the new QX30 range is stylish, technological, and as luxurious as it should be for a Mercedes A-Class in Infiniti's clothing and with the starting price of 29,950 US Dollars, it's the most affordable Infiniti you can buy. Sounds like a bargain for a luxury hatchback but with all that generous pricing comes with average dynamics that is considered to be a commoner rather than viewing it as an car that is very exciting to drive as any other luxury hatchback. Although the QX30 is classified as a crossover in Infiniti's sales manuals, it's basically a hatchback in two different levels to choose from and whichever QX30 you went to, you get the feeling that it drives like a Mercedes rather than an Infiniti.

Photo: Infiniti

Forza Horizon 3

The Horizon Festival goes Down Under in this latest installment of the Forza Horizon series and unlike any other Horizon Festivals you've been through since the first one, Forza Horizon 3 puts you in charge of Horizon Australia as your goal is to make this Horizon Festival a success while driving a roster of fast cars on Australian roads, a dream come true for the discerning petrolheads living the life of the location ubiquitous for shooting promo videos and commercials on new cars.

Forza Horizon 3

For a skeptical car enthusiasts, the reason why Australia is picked on this installment is not just because of the breathtaking scenery courtesy of the beaches, the jungles, the outback, but for some, it was considered to be a universal automotive playground because every time when a new car launches, it has to look good to do some PR stuff by driving around Australian roads. Most car commercials, obviously Korean and Japanese ones, done that on purpose, and in Forza Horizon 3, it's a great honor to feature Australia on this installment.

Apart from driving the hero cars of the game such as the Lamborghini Centenario and the all-new Ford F-150 Raptor, Forza Horizon 3 features a stellar lineup of half-a-century of cars. From rare classics, timeless supercars, muscle cars, extreme offroaders, Aussie utes and now three-wheelers and buggies, every car has their own unique characteristics and how to live it up to these machines is up to you. As you drive through Australian roads, you get the feeling that you're not alone because there is now a new Convoy feature where a push of the horn will lure Drivatars and they will follow you until you opt them out. This nifty free roam feature surely comes in handy when you're in a middle of a lonely situation. Apart from that, customization has been a key aspect of FH3 car ownership and in some cars, bodykits are now added to the mix, courtesy of top companies such as Liberty Walk and Rocket Bunny. Here's your chance to add some cool body kits on your JDM faves such as the Toyota 86!

By fulfilling certain conditions, you can engage a new Drone Mode feature where you can use a drone to fly freely through the Australian roads. Perfect for reconnaissance on barn finds when told or following a certain drivatar/car for the fun of it. 

In Forza Horizon 3, you are now the boss of this festival and as the honorary boss of the Horizon Australia, your top priority is to expand the festival to become the most successful by taking on races, take on showcase events, complete Bucket List challenges, even hire Drivatars to your preference. You can even create your own challenges courtesy of Horizon Blueprint. Want to set a fast time on a Isetta? Challenge accepted. Drift a three-wheeler? No problem. Need a race with just JDMs or American cars or Europeans? After you. Thanks to Horizon Blueprint, you can come up with tons of challenges from your little imagination and let your friends take on yours whatever they like.

Music has been part of the Forza Horizon culture since the beginning and in FH3, it offers an eclectic playlist of songs from house music, rock, metal, hip hop, even classical as well. Didn't like the playlist FH3 offered? Don't worry because if you got Groove Music active, you can bring the playlist to FH3, either from your Groove Music subscription or your songs stored on your OneDrive cloud storage.

Community plays a key role in the franchise and in Forza Horizon 3, it offers the same community favorites from tuning, designing, picture-taking, and so on. In online multiplayer, not only you can compete or joining the fun with other players but, for the first time, you can play cooperatively to complete certain objectives. Apart from that, the auction house makes a comeback and you can either auction your car you don't want or bid for a certain car of your liking, even the ultra-rare Horizon Edition cars packed with special skills that will level up the playing field to your preference.

Because Forza Horizon 3 is one of the XBOX One games that feature a "play anywhere" capability, you can play not just on the XBOX One but also on Windows 10 PCs as well.

So, thoughts about Forza Horizon 3? With our dream of living the fantasy of being on a universal automotive playground that is Australia fulfilled as well as new features that will keep us longing for more, this is destined to be one of the best driving games of 2016 by a margin and with so much possibilities to explore, it will make players coming back for more.

The festival is yours.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: North Korea criticized at IAEA meeting

The top officials at the general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency have condemned North Korea for its nuclear and missile programs.

At the 60th annual IAEA meeting in Vienna, Austria, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said the issue remains a matter of serious concern as he called it a growing threat to peace and security in northeast Asia and beyond.

Japanese State Minister of Cabinet Office, Hirotaka Ishihara, told the session that North Korea's threat to the international community has reached a new level. He called Pyongyang's actions unacceptable and a serious challenge to the international regime of nuclear non-proliferation.

A delegate from the European Union expressed serious concern over the situation and urged North Korea to renounce its nuclear and missile development.

Participants at the meeting will discuss on how to deal against North Korea's provocations as they are expected to adopt a resolution criticizing the North before the five-day meeting ends this Friday.

Source: NHK World

Getting to know Milo Murphy's Law!

There's a new show airing on Disney XD this October. It's about this smart teenage boy and he gets into all sorts of trouble while having the "best day ever". It's called Milo Nurphy's Law and there are a few reasons why you should like this new cartoon.

At first glance, you can imagine that this new Disney cartoon looks and feels like our longtime favorite Disney cartoon, Phineas and Ferb, and that's true because this new show is made by the same people behind Phineas and Ferb. Yep, the blokes behind the new show, Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh were responsible for it and while the two shows are different, they both share the same mantra; making your boring day very exciting with a little imagination...and obviously, some thrills.

Just like Phineas and Ferb, the new show features two 15-minute episodes every week (and rarely a full 30-minute episode mix in with them) and every episode; Milo Murphy (voiced by comedian Wierd Al Yankovic) and pals get through all sorts of trouble; be it runaway train, falling debris, natural calamities, even getting abducted by aliens.

Yes, I witnessed the first two adventures of Milo and pals; Zack and Melissa, and with everything falling on them, this new show packs some good vibes and there's a reason to smile about it. For a walking disaster like Milo, this show got our excitement flowing through our veins and we really wish our life is as thrilling as Milo's, if we're prepared for the worst because the worst things to come could be our best day ever and this new show means a lot.

Milo Murphy's Law is airing on Disney XD on the 3rd of October. Check local listings. For those with the WATCH Disney XD app can watch the pilot episode anytime.

Image: Disney

Let's Do The News! (September 27, 2016)

- Senator Leila de Lima countered a new batch of accusations by the administration, saying evidence against her are fake while the killings are real. As a human rights lawyer, De Lima lamented that the real issue are the deaths of thousands which she described as "tragic." She said these acts continue unabated.

- Three more Zika virus cases were confirmed by the Department of Health, upping the total number of reported cases to 12.  The Zika case documented in Cebu City last week turned out to be a pregnant woman, according to the press briefing.

- According to Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay, the US officials are concerned over the Philippines' next steps on the dispute over the South China Sea, but the Philippines is not keen on discussions with other parties beside China. Recalling his meeting with officials in Washington, Yasay assured that Manila works within the bounds of the ruling of the international arbitral tribunal on the maritime row to move forward.

- Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump sized each other out, head-to-head, in their first Presidential Debate held at Hofstra University, New York City. The two are tackling topics regarding race, national security, and the economy while dealing against each other. At the end of the debate, Clinton stood tall against Trump. What's even more amazing is that Clinton even mentioned the beauty queen that Trump called her "Miss Piggy" and "Miss Housekeeping". That beauty queen she mentioned was none other than Alicia Machado, a Venezuelan who won the 1996 Miss Universe and she's set to become an American citizen, in time for the elections. The next debate will be on the 9th of October at the Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

- Over 200 are reportedly killed on the resumed fighting in Syria, according to a human rights group. The government troops and rebels entered a temporary ceasefire on the 12th of September but fighting soon resumed with the launch of air raids by government forces in the northern city of Aleppo.

- Jeep unveiled the new-generation Compass crossover in Brazil and it's set to be available in the US in early 2017. 

2017 Jeep Compass

- Chika Takami from Love Live! Sunshine!! gets her own Nendoroid! Order books are now open for the Nendoroid modeled after the Aqours leader starting at 3,241 Yen plus tax while deliveries will take place this February.

Nendoroid Chika Takami

- Matt LeBlanc will host Top Gear for two more seasons alongside budding presenters Chris Harris and Rory Reid, according to reports.

- The names of the first two of three episodes that you can expect on the 2017 season of BBC's Sherlock are named. The first two will be titled "The Six Thatchers" and "The Lying Detective" while the Season 4 finale has yet to be titled.

TTFN!!!

The Magnificent Seven (2016 film)

The Western take on the legendary Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai gets a modern reboot for the 21st century and for the 2016 rebirth of the legendary spaghetti western flick, The Magnificent Seven, this revival wants to capture even the most astute of movie critics who experienced the original version since 1960.

The Magnificent Seven (2016 film)

With a star-studded cast including Chris Pratt, Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, among many others, this new Magnificent Seven wants to be a bloody action film for thrill-seekers but sadly, it wasn't made the cut compared to the original version that was considered to be one of the most memorable spaghetti western flicks of the last century. In this film, it's about a group of seven vigilantes band together in a quiet town to foil the crutches of a tyrannical businessman Bogue, who rules the quiet town with an iron fist.

At first, you may feel that this is just your average action flick set in the Wild Wild West but once you got glued on that film for too long, you are getting the idea that while it sounds bland compared to hit action movies this year, it's still worth capturing the eyes of moviegoers who doesn't care which movie they'll watch. It maybe mediocre and shallow, the new Magnificent Seven is worth entertaining to watch and while this is somewhat enjoyable to watch compared to the best of action movies of 2016, the new Magnificent Seven feels and sounds just like what the original 1960 version behaves...but in the slightest way, of course.

Reviving a decade-old legend is a hard act to follow and this film tried so hard to capture the essence of a legendary spaghetti western flick but in the end, this is just another eye-gluing film that once you're glued to the film, you can't get away until the film ends.

My rating: 3.1 out of 5