YEAR IN REVIEW: 20 things we learned in 2023

2023 will go down in history as The Year of the X, probably not because of the renaming of a certain social media company into just one letter but because everything's gone X-crazy these days. Anyway, as the world wraps up the Year of the X, it's time to do the Year in Review segment, summing up the twenty things we've learned from 2023, the Year of the X.

1) A powerful earthquake hits Turkey and Syria on the 6th of February, killing over 50,000 people.

2) On October 7, 2023, the Palestinian militant group Hamas killed over 1,200 people in Israel, prompting the Israeli forces to declare war for the first time since 1973. The course of the bloody war saw Gaza casualties spike 20 times more than Hamas did in Israel during the attack.

3) On July 24, 2023, following last year's acquisition of Twitter, Elon Musk renamed the social media site X after merging Twitter with his company X Holdings, the parent company of Tesla and SpaceX.

4) King Charles III is crowned in the United Kingdom on May 6, 2023. His coronation is the first in seven decades following the death of Queen Elizabeth II last year.

5) The OceanGate Titan submersible is believed to have imploded hours after beginning its descent into the Titanic shipwreck on June 18, 2023. All five passengers on the missing submersible are presumed dead and debris was found near the Titanic site. In the wake of the tragedy, the company OceanGate suspends its operations.

6) The Eat Bulaga war between the TVJ trio and TAPE Inc. forever shook the history of Philippine television. The TVJ and the Dabarkads enjoyed the spoils of the success of their show for over four decades until the Dark Age of Eat Bulaga came. No, it's not because of the COVID pandemic, it's because of the Jalosjos family in charge of TAPE that spurred a feud between TVJ and TAPE, Inc. That feud between them because of the show's proposed changes prompted the TVJ trio to leave TAPE for good at the end of May 2023 along with the other Dabarkads. Their farewell speech wasn't televised and instead streamed on the official Eat Bulaga Facebook page. 

7) The summer of 2023 saw the Writers' Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA trigger the most historic strike in Hollywood, paralyzing nearly all of Hollywood until the demands were met such as fair pay and AI concerns. The strike caused delays in the production of movies and TV shows.

8) 2023 saw the arrival of the first-ever F1 Academy all-female junior race series. 15 aspiring female drivers from five teams with record experiences with past and current aspirants from other junior races like F2 are competing to determine who will be the first-ever F1 Academy champion. This series will serve as a turning point for female drivers looking for ascension to top-level motorsports such as F3, F2, and of course, F1. Marta Garcia made headlines as the first F1 Academy world champion while the team she represents, PREMA, was named the series' first team champions.

9) Republican takeover of the US House of Representatives following their midterms win is met with discord as they've ousted their own House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a first in US history. Following McCarthy's ousting, Republican lawmakers named Mike Johnson, a Trump ally, as their new House Speaker. Republicans right now are facing the heat following the blocking of passage calls for additional funding for Israel and Ukraine because of border issues with Mexico.

10) 19 wins per season, this is a historic record Max Verstappen set in the F1 2023 season, where he claimed his third world champion title. Red Bull had a near-perfect winning score this season and despite being spoiled by Ferrari in Singapore, Red Bull Racing clinched its sixth constructor's championship title.

11) Early January 2023 saw the professional racing driver and Hoonigan co-founder Ken Block die at the age of 55. Block died in a snowmobile accident, as confirmed by Hoonigan. Ken Block got his shot at fame for his Gymkhana videos. The recent ELECTRIKHANA 2 video is the last to feature Ken Block before his passing.

12) The 2023 season of the Supercars Championship marked the beginning of the Gen3 era of Australia's premier touring car racing series. The Camaro-Mustang rivalry has arrived in the Land Down Under in the form of their newest Supercars racing machines. While General Motors' announcement to ax the Chevrolet Camaro after 2023 spoiled its welcoming feat, the 2023 season marked the final season for Shane Van Gisbergen as he heads to NASCAR in 2024 following his shock Chicago win. The 2023 Repco Supercars Championship concludes with Brodie Kostecki crowned the champion, a first for a Camaro driver, while the team he represented, Erebus, nailed its double championship win.

13) The State Farm Stadium roars to life with the Super Bowl LVII where the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles clash to determine who will win the championship title but there's more to it than that because not only this Super Bowl match is a clash between the Kelce brothers, Chiefs' Travis v Eagles Jason, it's the first time the final two teams led by black quarterbacks, making this Super Bowl very special. Thanks to Harrison Butker's field goal with eleven seconds left in the game, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles at the score of 38-35, winning Super Bowl LVII. Patrick Mahomes was named MVP.

14) July 14, 2023, saw the showing of Studio Ghibli's most secretive movie in Japanese cinemas titled The Boy and The Heron, it is by no means the most secretive movie in the world. What's known to be the ultimate masterpiece of the legendary Hayao Miyazaki nearly a decade in the making is surprisingly a masterpiece with a mystery. 

15) The return of the Miami Heat at the NBA Finals as well as the rise of the Denver Nuggets saw these two teams locked in on an epic best-of-7 final battle to determine which team will win the title. As both teams delivered their close-call performances, the Denver Nuggets nabbed their first championship title after defeating the Miami Heat at the score of 94-89.

16) Two Hollywood movies clash on the big screen on July 21, 2023, with the Oppenheimer biopic movie and the live-action Barbie movie, sparking the Barbenheimer phenomenon. The live-action Barbie movie became the highest-grossing film directed by a woman.

17) The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup saw Spain defeat England by a point, clinching its first championship title. However, their victory parade was overshadowed by a kissing controversy by the team's boss.

18) India became the fourth country to land a spacecraft on the Moon with its Chandrayaan-3 probe on August 23, 2023. The Indian spacecraft became the first to land in the Moon's south polar region.

19) The return of Ferrari in the 2023 WEC Season with their 499P Hypercar prompted a clash between Ferrari and Toyota. The most famous one is the 24 Hours of Le Mans race where Toyota's hopes for a three-peat in a GR010 ended in a heartbreaking failure with the #7 breaking down and the #8 colliding with the Arnage barrier as it struggled to chase the lead. It's no surprise that Ferrari made history in the centennial running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race as the #51 Ferrari AF Corse 499P made a historical win while the #34 Inter Europol Competition won the LMP2 class and the #33 Corvette Racing C8.R for the GTE-AM class. 

20) The Conservative-ruled US Supreme Court ruled in favor of axing race-based affirmative action in college admissions in the United States on June 29, 2023, causing controversy among colleges across the US.

As the saying goes; "end of one nightmare, prelude to the another". So, what will the year 2024 bring us? Brace for impact and turbulence for whatever the year 2024 will bring us. Until then, have a happy new year.

Let's Do The News! (December 29, 2023)

                                           

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- Cities across Ukraine are under attack by Russian missiles and drones with air defense systems working intensively. At least three explosions were heard near Kyiv.

- Maine became the second US state to bar Donald Trump from contesting the Republican presidential primary. The camp of Donald Trump called the move "a hostile assault on democracy" and said it would file a legal challenge.

- The Iranian judicial authority said they've executed four people convicted of working with the Israeli intelligence ring Mossad. Six others were given ten-year jail sentences.

- Israeli airstrikes hit central and southern Gaza as their offense against Hamas militants intensifies.

- Investigation finds that the deadly Nepal plane crash last January was caused by a pilot who "pulled the wrong lever" on the Yeti Airlines flight NYT-691. The crash killed 72 people, making it the country's deadliest plane crash in three decades.

- BYD will open its European EV production in Szeged, Hungary, making it the first Chinese carmaker to manufacture cars in the region. BYD will launch three new models over the next 12 months.

- Vietnamese carmaker Vinfast will unveil its EV pickup truck concept and the VF3 at January's Consumer Electronics Showcase.

- Xiaomi unveiled its first EV, the SU7. The fully-electric saloon has 673PS power output, 838Nm of torque, a 265kph top speed, and up to 800km of driving range.

Xiaomi SU7

- The TV anime Jujutsu Kaisen will return with the Culling Game arc soon.

- Illinois basketball player Terrence Shannon Jr. has been suspended from all team activities after he was charged with rape. A warrant for Shannon's arrest was issued by the Douglas County (Kansas) district attorney's office over an alleged sexual assault that happened in September.

- Buffalo Bills player Von Miller denies assault allegations from his pregnant girlfriend, calling them "100 percent false" and "overblown."

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (December 28, 2023)

                                          

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- According to OCTA, Metro Manila's COVID-19 positivity rate is slightly increasing.

- Firework-related injuries remain at 88 cases, according to the PH Department of Health.

- The Communist Party of the Philippines sees talks as an "additional battlefield" and admits "crucial errors" after the Bukidnon setback. 

- Pro-Palestinian protesters blocked airport roads in New York and Los Angeles, snarling traffic as U.S. airlines contended with a rush of holiday travel.

- Former US Democratic senator and former Milwaukee Bucks owner Herb Kohl passed away at the age of 88. Kohl was a popular figure in Wisconsin, purchasing the Bucks in 1985 for $18 million to keep them from leaving town, and spending generously from his fortune on civic and educational causes throughout the state.

- Maersk resumes sailings through the Red Sea as the Danish shipping giant has scheduled several dozen container vessels following the deployment of a US-led naval alliance to safeguard international trade.

- A top US diplomat is in Mexico to discuss the ongoing migration crisis.

- Former European Commission President Jacques Delors, described as the architect of the modern EU, passed away at the age of 98. Delors served from 1985 to 1995, created the single market allowing the free movement of people, goods, and services within the bloc, and also laid the groundwork for the single European currency, the Euro.

- The Uma Musume Pretty Derby series is getting an anime film this May 2024.

- Boy groups DAY6 and 2AM join forces for a special performance at this Sunday's MBC Music Festival.

- Businessman Mark Cuban hailed the approved sale of the controlling interests of Dallas Mavericks by the NBA Board of Governors to the families who run the Las Vegas Sands casino company, calling it a "great partnership". A deal that will allow Cuban to continue running the franchise's basketball operations.

- Firefly won Best Picture at the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival Gabi ng Parangal while GomBurZa nailed the most awards with seven.

TTFN.

My GT7 Log: Know Your Legends - Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak

Let's get to know about the legendary cars that are hard to get in Gran Turismo 7's Legend Cars not only because of their extreme rarity that appears once in a blue moon but also their outrageous price tag that takes almost forever to save one. Today, let's get to know about the Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak Special, a compact SUV that morphed into a monster machine that became a Gran Turismo favorite since GT2.

Starting out in life as the Suzuki Escudo compact SUV, this monster machine competed in the 1996 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with Nobuteru "Monster" Tajima behind the wheel and won. Donning its extreme aerodynamics to help cope with its ultra-lightweight bodywork that weighs 800kg, the 2.5L V6 engine that was relocated aft of the front axle line for better weight distribution is bolted with two turbochargers, generating a monstrous 981HP of power and 687ft-lb of torque.

Time to unleash Suzuki's legendary monster machine around the Goodwood track and see if it's still the legend Gran Turismo fanatics remembered. Roll the tape.

It did it in 1m12.019s.

Back in Gran Turismo 2, this Escudo made them think they were invincible. Despite being overshadowed by the likes of the Red Bull X-car or even the SRT Tomahawk Vision Gran Turismo machines, the Escudo Pikes Peak is still the King of Gran Turismo cars because it's built for everything it can crush with its 4WD capability, be it asphalt, dirt, or even snow.

What other hard-to-get legendary cars should I drive next? Stay tuned for more.

Let's Do The News! (December 27, 2023)

                                         

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- China continues to blame the Philippines for the dispute in the West Philippine Sea, saying the latter’s change of policy, position, and its refusal to “honor its commitment” violate international law. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a regular press briefing that the “recent developments” in the South China Sea are caused by the Philippines’ deliberate infringement of China’s sovereignty and provocations.

- The Philippine National Railways reopened its Naga-Legazpi rail line after six years. Its trains once again resumed services on the routes after a six-year suspension due to a lack of enough train coaches and locomotives.

- The Philippine Army prepares for a reprisal by the New People's Army after a Christmas Day operation that scuttled a planned gathering in time for the 55th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines in the hinterlands of Malaybalay City in Bukidnon province.

- Israel kept up its strikes against targets in Gaza despite grave concern expressed by the United Nations, which named a coordinator for desperately-needed humanitarian aid.

- The Detroit Pistons set the NBA record with 27 straight losses, topping the league's longest single-season droughts. The Pistons' recent loss is after being defeated by the Brooklyn Nets.

- Chef Bill Granger, known as the "godfather of avocado toast" dies at the age of 54 in London.

- Actor Lee Sun-kyun, best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, was found dead at the age of 48. Sun-kyun was found unconscious in his parked car at Waryong Park in Seoul.

- Ye issued another apology on his Instagram in Hebrew, stating "It was not my intention to hurt or demean, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused." The rapper regrets the "unplanned outburst" of Antisemitic statements ahead of Vultures' album release.

TTFN.

My FH5 Log: BRZ-bub

Remember the Toyota GR86 back in the Forza Horizon 5 Summer Party? Guess what? Its Subaru BRZ equivalent made its way into the game during the Winter Wonderland update and things wouldn't get even more complicated than this.

Obtained as a prize car in Week 3 of the Forza Horizon 5 Winter Wonderland series update, the second-generation Subaru BRZ completes the Reiwa-era ToyoBaru coupe twins, giving players plenty of time to debate. I know the GR86 and the BRZ are built in the same factory, but truth be told, the BRZ is slightly older than the GR86. No need for the chicken and egg debate.

The Subaru BRZ ZD8 is the evolution of the entry-level FR sports coupe that became the stepping stone of the collaboration between Toyota and Subaru.

Running on the improved version of its bespoke platform, the second-generation BRZ delivers improved dynamics and handling compared to its predecessor. Under the hood, the size of the BOXER D-4S engine was increased from its predecessor's 2.0L to 2.4L, meaning the power output is now bumped at a dramatic 235PS of power and 250Nm of torque.

The second-generation BRZ is mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed AT. Both variants feature Subaru's EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, which consists of pre-collision safety tech, emergency rescue support, and secondary collision avoidance support.

A GT300-class Subaru BRZ was crowned the class champion at the Autobacs Super GT 2021 Series, a first for Subaru.

The added power and improved dynamics made the second-generation BRZ better to drive than its predecessor. Therefore, it feels so much more addictive and more fun to drive. I know. I said that while driving its GR86 equivalent back at the Summer Party but this is the Subaru perspective and because this is the only Subaru with the stick shift available, it feels like this is the only fun-to-drive Subaru to drive now that the WRX STI is officially dead.

Sounds sad but let's find out how much improvement the second-generation BRZ gained compared to its predecessor.

You may remember back in the summer, I tested the GR86 equivalents on a hill climb towards the caldera and found out that the new model is quicker than the first one. What about the Subie equivalents?

This time, we're going downhill and dirty, which is a challenge for a rear-wheel-drive car like the BRZ but hey, if Lia Block can rally the BRZ to victory, why not in Mexico? Putting faith in the Subaru badges donned in these rear-wheel-drive wonders, it's time to let them rip all the way down and dirty.

Roll the tape.

And now the results...

BRZ ZC6 - 4m15.038s

BRZ ZD8 - 4m07.581s

Talk about a massive improvement compared to the previous model! Guess the ToyoBaru collaboration really leveled up with this one.

The second-generation Subaru BRZ, the only Subie with the stick shift available in the Land of the Rising Sun, proved its worth with the added power and improved dynamics to keep up with the challenges of the new normal. Unlike the chicken and the egg, the Reiwa-era BRZ goes to show that it came first before the mega-popular Toyota GR86 steals its spotlight.

I was hoping for a little comparison between the two but for now, the Reiwa-era ToyoBaru coupe twins will be united because they held a grudge against this...

Yes, I know, it's a C8 Corvette, the one that stole the Japan 2021 Performance Car of the Year award from them. Still, this is going to be a payback I'm looking forward to...

Watch this space.

Let's Do The News! (December 26, 2023)

                                        

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- The Armed Forces of the Philippines says that the country is not provoking conflict in the South China Sea, following Beijing's accusation that Manila is encroaching on its territory. The comments come a day after the People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, wrote that the Philippines has relied on U.S. support to continually provoke China, with “extremely dangerous” behavior seriously harming regional peace and stability.

- The PH Department of Health reported 24 more firework-related injuries, bringing a total of 52.

- Christian clergy canceled celebrations in Bethlehem, the Israeli-occupied Palestinian West Bank city known in Christian traditions as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Palestinian Christians held a candle-lit Christmas vigil in Bethlehem with hymns and prayers for peace in Gaza.

- Ukraine celebrated Christmas Day for the first time since the war broke out last year. The change, enacted in legislation signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in July, reflects both Ukrainians’ dismay with the 22-month-old Russian invasion and their assertion of a national identity.

- Nio unveiled the ET9, the flagship electric saloon with up to 707PS of power output and the first Chinese EV to use a 900c electrical architecture. Pre-orders are opened ahead of deliveries in 2025.

2025 Nio ET9

- Daihatsu is halting production in Japan until the end of January 2024 following its safety testing irregularities issue, according to reports.

- A new Shinkalion anime was announced. The new series is titled Shinkalion: Change the World and it's coming soon.

- SHINee's Minho and Hwang Minhyun to collaborate for a special MC stage at this Sunday's MBC Music Festival.

- Actor Alden Richards announced that he will star in next year's movie alongside Batang Quiapo actor Coco Martin.

TTFN.