Heavens Divide / Koi No Yokushi Ryoku

This is the Metal Gear series' first character song CD made for those who want to experience both the Peace Walker theme song and the series' first character song made possible by Nana Mizuki, the Japanese CV of Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker's leading lady, Paz Ortega Andrade. This Maxi Single CD was out since Wednesday, April 7, the day when the final specifications of MGSPW were out, preparing for Asia's April 29 release and international version's June release.

Two words to describe this maxi single CD; tender but powerful. The first track in this maxi single CD, Heavens Divide, sung by Donna Burke, is sounded more like Calling to the Night, the ending theme from Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops, but the tone is relaxing at first and energetic all the way to the end of the song. That is why, I consider the song, Heavens Divide, as one of my favorite video game songs in my life. Take note that this song will be included in the Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker OST, coming next week. And now, after talking about Heavens Divide, it is now time to talk about the series' first character song. (Yay!)

The song, Koi No Yokushi Ryoku (which means love's deterrence in Japanese), adds something not only for MGS fans, but fans of Nana Mizuki, the popular seiyuu behind Fate Testarossa from Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha series, Moka Akashiya from Rosario+Vampire, Colette from Tales of Symphonia, and Hinata Hyuuga from Naruto series. It follows the same way as Heavens Divide, tender at first and energetic all the way. You might consider why because it sounded like one of Nana Mizuki's songs such as Phantom Minds, Trickster, Silent Bible, and others, because this is truly addicting in the ears of fans considering the number seven as their favorite number. (Because "nana" is seven in Japanese) It is just like what others said, Nana Mizuki's voice is too sexy for Paz Ortega Andrade. For those who want to hear this massive treat from Peace Walker, this maxi single CD is recommended not just for Metal Gear fans, but for the fans of Nana Mizuki as well. (I'm sure when the English-speaking members of S.C. Nana Net, the Nana Mizuki fan club, reading this blog, he or she will jump through the music store to buy this CD and listen it over and over until its nap time)

THIS TRULY THE BEST SONG YOU WON'T FIND IT ANYWHERE ELSE!

I'LL GIVE KOI NO YOKUSHI RYOKU A MASSIVE THUMBS-UP, SEVEN TIMES IN A ROW! YAY!


Limited Edition: There is a limited edition of this Maxi Single CD. It features an alternate cover of Paz Ortega Andrade (voiced by Nana Mizuki in the Japanese version of MGSPW and Tara Strong in the international version of MGSPW) which others find it amusing.

Aston Martin Rapide

2011 Aston Martin Rapide

The premier British supercar manufacturer, Aston Martin, famous for the cars shown in James Bond movies such as the DB5 from Goldfinger, V12 Vanquish from Die Another Day, and the DBS from two Bond movies, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, has just unleashed the brand's first four-door machine. This machine is blessed with the Bond spirits that brings its Porsche Panamera rival into shallow grave, and this is Aston Martin's ultimate masterpiece in the epitome of the premium sedan category. The Rapide was born.

Even this British car manufacturer creates Bond machines, this brand reveals its firsts to bring Aston Martin fans some twists and turns, just like Bond movies filled with some twists and turns, such as the Toyota iQ-based Cygnet compact, and for the Rapide, you can compromise that this premium sedan is the perfect prop for the upcoming Bond movie. (Hope that current Bond actor, Daniel Craig, might have a fistful of fistfights on this one)

Despite the Rapide is a four-door coupe, the spirit of the James Bond machine lives on, thanks to its design DNA that is truly the heart and soul of the brand that made vehicles reserved by Her Majesty's Secret Service. For many years of hard work done by the engineers, especially tested on the Death Valley to Kuwait, the Rapide possesses as rapid-fire performance only a true Bond star might impress on his missions. Powered with the 6.0L V12 engine, the Rapide boasts almost 500PS of power and achieve regulated top speed of 303km/h, with the 5.3 second split time from the 0-100km run. However, the Rapide's top speed could not catch up against the Porsche Panamera Turbo's top speed, (Because the Panamera Turbo can reach 4.2 seconds on the 0-100km/h run) but despite its disadvantage, the Rapide weighs less than the Panamera, thanks to the use of its lightweight materials used in this premium 4-door coupe. A six-speed automatic Touchtronic II transmission is equipped on the Rapide, providing this sports car less impact on its frugal fuel economy.

For the edge-of-your-seat excitement for the big men, the Rapide is armed with the finest rear entertainment system. This system fulfills most of its qualities only executives want to relax on the long and winding road. With Bang & Olufsen premium sound system, the Rapide utilizes realistic sound and quality compared to a live performance. Once more, you can watch your favorite DVD movies such as Transformers, Final Destination, ID4, Saw, 2012, and Titanic, with its rear monitor mounted behind the front seats, with clearer picture than other premium sedans. For added fun, wireless headphones are placed on the Rapide, giving the word "listening time" to the next dimension.

My thoughts about the Rapide:
What really needs for Aston Martin's first four-door coupe is to have Daniel Craig get behind the wheel on enemy territory. For me, what I will put on the Rapide's wish list is the motion seeking missiles, rapid-fire machine guns, smoke screens, nitrous oxides, and every fancy gadget as I saw on other Bond movies. As for the Rapide, the true spirit of the legendary British spy lives on. It is perfect to rescue the dames from the evil masterminds' plot to destroy humanity. Maybe men like us has the James Bond inside of our hearts, and the Aston Martin Rapide truly has the heart and soul of the two-door Bond cars inside.

How Lokomoko got evolved....

Back in 2008, when ABC5 has just renamed it into TV5, the funny word Lokomoko was added in the Philippine comedy vocabulary and it hams some fun among viewers who wanted to laugh out all night.

At its first installment, Lokomoko was just a teen version of Wow Mali. Of course, there are lots of teen stars poking more fun than other Pinoy comedy gag shows in just a split hour.

Then, in 2009, Lokomoko evolved into Lokomoko High, the show's second installment. With the roster of stars like Alex Gonzaga, Valeen Montenegro, Randolph Stamatelaky, Kim Gantioqui, Cara Eriguel, Empoy, Long Mejia, Caloy Alde, and others, this second installment takes the word "gag" to the next level.

With spoofs from other shows, twisted sketches, ROFL-prone gags, and music video parodies, I can say that Lokomoko High is always a part of fans like me.

And now, April 2010, as part of TV5's new "Kapatid" campaign, and the roster of all new TV5 shows, Lokomoko High is now evolved into Lokomoko U, the third installment of the Lokomoko series. It follows the same humor as Lokomoko High, but the cast has now revised into the following:

1. Alex Gonzaga (returning)

2. Empoy (returning)

3. Rainier Castillo (new entry, he was a Kapuso from GMA7)

4. Valeen Montenegro (returning)

5. Ynna Asistio (new entry)

6. Dianne Medina (new entry)

7. Tuesday Vargas (new entry)

8. JC De Vera (new entry? or returning?)

9. Caloy Alde (returning)

10. Luningning, Milagring, and Mariposa (ex-Wowowee dancers make a new entry to this show)

Let's not forget the Voyz Avenue! They are making a comeback to this third installment!

When I watched its pilot episode, all I can see was, a talented family, cabinet members, sound of silence, Tuesday with her puppet friend, Monday (played by Rainier), Master Showdown (?), and the spoof of some K-Pop song called Oh, by Girls Generation, with some funny Tagalog lyrics. My reaction was still it has the same Lokomoko puns, funny enough to tickle me into ROFL-ness.

Lokomoko U airs on TV5 every Wednesday at 8:00PM

READ BEFORE CHEWING YOUR ACUO GUM!!!

As you may know, the Lotte Acuo gum Japanese commercial with handsome Japanese actor, Ikuta Toma, it's great to say that fresh breath is the best way for this gum.

Now, what if they mix something up for this ad. In a recent Lotte Acuo ad aired in Japanese TV sets, with Ikuta Toma again, they placed three very special guests for this commercial (if you manage to hold your fresh breath while getting close to a woman), the three girls from the hit anime, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya! (There's Mikuru, Haruhi, and Nagato on this ad. but how?)

In this ad, we saw Ikuta Toma chewing a piece of Acuo gum, he just saw something at the boutique. The boutique clerk said that it was already out of stock, but when Toma-san blows his fresh breath, the clerk turn into Mikuru!? Then, the manager appeared and warned him not to turn everyone into anime characters. Toma blows again his fresh breath while apologizing to the manager, then she turned into Haruhi! Toma panicked and running away from the boutique and he encounters three cats in the alley, but Toma's fresh Acuo breath turned three hapless cats into three Yuki Nagatos! Well, that's about it. ROFL

Be careful men. When you are chewing a piece of Lotte Acuo gum, best to hold your ridiculously fresh breath, when you are near a girl. Once she smells your fresh Acuo breath, she will turn into a Mikuru, Haruhi, or Nagato.

It just happened ever since the success of the latest Haruhi movie, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, that was been showing in theaters since February, and caused a sensation among otakus. Even with the movie's success, remember to best keep your fresh Acuo breath discreetly from the women from your radius. Otherwise, you might get an unhealthy dose of "Haruhi-ism".

iPad

The newest addition to the Apple family (the geniuses behind the Mac, iPod, and iPhone) has arrived to bounce against Amazon's Kindle and of course, there will be a certain love-hate scenarios for computer egoists from across the globe. Meet the iPad, Apple's first of its kind.

At first, the iPad looks more like an enlarged iPod Touch, meaning why would they copy something they already had. Of course, we do not blame its superiority, but Apple made a good job creating a hand-held computer built for the next-generation nerds and the nerds-at-heart. If we can say that, the iPad can do everything for the sake of our love for computers, there are a few key points regarding Apple's first of its kind:

- Safari web browser

- Mail app for e-mail purposes

- LED-backlit IPS display gives photo viewing to a completely new level

- 9.7-inch screen allows movie geeks to watch downloaded movies via iTunes like no other. It is also perfect for watching full-screen YouTube videos.

- Same features of the iPod touch; such as listening to music, purchase apps, and the use of iTunes.

... and so much more to mention this wondrous handheld computer. From its introduction, the Wi-Fi connectivity is a standard feature for the iPad. A 3G option may come in later.

Get the full story at :http://www.apple.com/ipad/
My Words on the iPad:
It is not going to be easy obtaining the iPad, because of the pricing of just $499 (or supposedly 23,000 Pesos when it hits our stores), but despite the pricing, the iPad is one of the finest creations by Apple, and it will crush the competition led by the Kindle from Amazon. This gadget not only enlightens the geeks, but also for real men. Try it.

PS3 Easter Eggs...

Sony's Playstation 3 proves that this gaming console is the ultimate video game machine. It allows us to connect to the internet, watch Blu-Ray movies, and like the U.S. commercial, "IT ONLY DOES EVERYTHING".

There are something's going on on the console that "DOES EVERYTHING"?

CASE 1: A new firmware for the PS3 was launched in April 1 (Maundy Thursday), and this firmware removes the use of the OtherOS function. They did this move because some hacker behind the iPhone hack just hacked the PS3's mainframe, therefore this firmware will remove this feature. Geez... it caused a major uproar for those who owned the pre-slim PS3 models. (Because the PS3 slim does not have the OtherOS function, PS2 backwards compatibility, and something, something, something, dark side, something, something, complete. ROFL) I'm glad I didn't use this function because I don't really know what is.

CASE 2: Looking for an infrastructure-like feature on a game with ad-hoc feature? Try to download the new Ad-Hoc party feature on the PlayStationStore. This feature allows PSP owners to use the ad-hoc on to the PS3 and use them with other people using it worldwide. Great when you want to use Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker's Co-Op feature without the hassle of finding someone in person.

CASE 3: The PS3 Slim and the PSP Slim officially arrived in the Philippines and the timing was made to start the Playstation operations in the Philippines. Despite the PSN and the PSP Go unwelcomed in the launched, Pinoy gamers can purchase the PS3 and the PSP at selected Sony dealers in the Philippines. Once more, there will be games for PS3 and PSP will be available at the Sony Stores and there will be more to come later. 

Volkswagen New Second-Generation Touareg

The long wait is over, because Volkswagen, the world's number one car manufacturer in the world, has just unleashed the full model change of its flagship sport utility vehicle, known as the Touareg. Since its launched in 2002 and made a minor change since 2007, it is surprising that the Touareg is Volkswagen's first off-road sport utility vehicle, armed with the capabilities to tear down mud, sand, floods, rocky roads, and every city pavements. This machine is tougher on the outside, luxurious on the inside. This year, the new Touareg is more reinforced than the previous generation and it continues the tradition to please off-roaders with its pride and power, determined to be the best German SUV made for soldiers without frontiers.

The exterior of the all-new Touareg is honestly a "soldier without frontiers" because of the design, that others think it is the same Touareg, with some minor alterations to the front and back. This new style derives Volkswagen new signature look found on the Scirocco. As for the interior, the new Touareg looks like the luxurious premium interior found on the Volkswagen Passat CC, giving the soldiers in business suits some rest and relaxation while tearing down the warpath.

At this second generation's maiden voyage, the new Touareg has the maiden engine choices available such as the 3.0L V6 TDI BlueMotion Technology diesel engine, a 4134cc V8 TDI diesel engine, and the new 3.0L V6 TSI hybrid engine. For innovation, this German Mauser is now armed with the new glare-proof Dynamic Light Assist. The Dynamic Light Assist allows adjusts the Touareg's lighting pattern to reduce its glare and has the ability to perceive incoming traffic at its pace. Aside from this wonderful feature, the new Touareg has the host of features, which finds soldiers useful for terrain combat. The Adaptive Cruise Control seeks the car in front's speed, and intelligently tells to stop or go. This technology is mostly similar to the Toyota Crown Majesta's cruise control capability. The Lane Departure Warning System prevents the driver from crossing to unnecessary lanes (mostly double yellow lines separating the entrance and the exit), and it triggers a beeping sound when a soldier is changing on the wrong side of the lane. This technology is more as the one found on the Nissan Fuga and the Kia K7. A Blind Spot Monitor is added to detect an incoming object coming at the driver's blind spot. This is useful for escape tactics when you are surrounded by the enemy. Lastly, the Area View (similar to Nissan's Around View Monitor) is equipped for parking safety. These features are equipped for drastic combat measures and how you will use these innovative technologies is up to you to decide when or where will you use them.

In terms for escaping from a chase, the new Touareg is armed with the next-generation 4MOTION all-wheel drive system, generated to make full capabilities of its ABS brakes, EDS, and ASR for off-road driving like no other. A V6 variant can obtain a special 4XMOTION system that serves as a Terrain Tech package, gifted to tear down the battlefield at the choice of five levels: on-road, off-road, low, center differential lock, and rear differential lock. In case for soldiers without frontiers ready to find out what transmission is equipped, the new Touareg is armed with the 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission.

My thoughts about the Touareg:
As a favorite among SUV warriors, the new Touareg boasts good-looking design, smart technology, combative performance, and the feel that allows owners to call this car, their own Big Boss of the road. And by this SUV's "Big Boss" feel, the new Touareg targets its number one rivals: the Toyota Land Cruiser and Land Cruiser Prado, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, Mitsubishi Pajero, and the upcoming second-generation Porsche Cayenne. Combat veterans, powerful politicians, diabolical gang bosses, and wealthy armed men are always welcome to take the plunge of its "Boss" made from Volkswagen. For the second generation Touareg, this SUV will not win or lose; it always finds a reason to fight like real men fighting without honor and loss.