Let's Do The News! (February 14, 2014)

Meanwhile at the studio...

(cheers and applause)

Richard: Right, while we're doing that kind of thing, Good Luck Charlie ends this Sunday night on Disney Channel. It's going to be the last for the Duncan family as Teddy, played by the ever lovely Bridgit Mendler, heads to college. Well, this 4-season-long show never gave up to its last breath without a good send-off.

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: So, what's Bridgit going to do now? Live like the rest of other Disney celebs after their show's over and ended up doing bad stuff like what happened to Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez?!

(audience laughing)

Richard: I have no idea what are you talking about. Haven't you?

Jeremy: Well, I'm sure she's going to be all messed up like the rest when their shows from Disney met its maker. Feels like you were once a member of an elite force where in the end, you got terminated for your reckless actions. Same goes to the others so I felt pity for them...

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Anyway, news?

James: Yes, indeed. The news and Peugeot launched their new micro-mini car, it's called the 108. Here it is...

2015 Peugeot 108

(oooohh)

Richard: Whoa, that's a neat little hatchback they got here.

Jeremy: Sure is, and I have to say that it looks like a shrunken version of whatever Peugeot hatches we can think of like the 208 and the 308. But the looks are a bit too gaudy for me. It's a bit like Victoria Beckham meets...um...Barbie doll, if you know what I'm saying?

(audience laughing)

Richard: I know, but would you like me to do some faces? I'm sure I'm pretty good at mimicking Peugeot faces around here, you remember that?

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Yes but don't. Because I know something even more weird than this Peugeot. It's the new Renault Twingo! There it is! There!

2015 Renault Twingo

Jeremy: I mean look at this face. That's even as cute as those...Chuggington trains.

(audience laughing)

Richard: Thing is though. The new model is now a rear-engine, rear-wheel drive, like a Porsche 911.

(huh?)

Jeremy: Really?

Richard: Exactly. This new Twingo kinda feels like a Porsche 911 on a tight budget and sounds good enough for me.

Jeremy: (clears throat) I'm starting to not like this one because it's got the characteristics of a 911!!!

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Oh wait! I know something even worse than that new Twingo!

James: What is it? A front-wheel drive BMW?

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Oh! You got me in the middle. It is and the name sounds misleading because they kept the 2-Series name, which we're sure it's the name of coupe versions of the 1-Series hatchbacks. There it is...

2015 BMW 2 Series Active Tourer

Jeremy: It's called the 2-Series Active Tourer and I have no idea why they used the 2 Series name because BMW said that it's bigger than the 1-Series but that's just the least of our problems because the biggest problem for this BMW is it's front-wheel drive and I think a front-wheel drive BMW would ruin the brand's reputation of being the ultimate driving machine.

James: So, you're saying that you prefer BMWs to be more rear-wheel drive?

Jeremy: Of course. They always kept their promise not to make a front-wheel drive car.

James: You know the MINI?

Jeremy: Yeah...

James: They're made by BMW and consider them front-wheel drive so in truth, BMW did made a front-wheel drive car. Aren't you worried?

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Anyway, to show you how problematic this front-wheel drive Bimmer is...here it is...Flappy Bird.

(audience laughing hysterically)

Richard: You still had Flappy Bird with you? I can't believe it you big fat moron.

Jeremy: (plays Flappy Bird) (POW!) See, I can only score 1 point in Flappy Bird. What's the point? How come anyone's good at this stupid game?

(audience laughing)

Richard: Here, let me show you. (playing Flappy Bird) (POW!) Okay, I got 9 points.

James: Let me try... (playing Flappy Bird) (POW!) Darn it! THIS IS HARD!!!

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: See? That's what I'm explaining at. Driving a BMW 2-Series Active Tourer gets the same feeling as playing a game of Flappy Bird for a whole week without scoring a single point. Well, almost.

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Still, I really hate that game. I'm suck at Flappy Bird. Good thing they've deleted it from the App Store.

Richard: Well, I never played this stupid game. Good thing I never got one.

James: So am I.

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Anyway, the Department of Education said that they're open to the proposed 4-day school week of the MMDA and that gave me an idea because what if the school week is now 4 instead of the regular 5-day school week. Can you hardly imagine what would they do for one extra day of break?

Richard: Let me guess...three days of stuff to do while there are no classes?

Jeremy: There's more than that because. If it's Friday, kids are wearing PE uniform but when the 4-day school week is implemented, PE day is now Thursday and the only days that have no classes are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Imagine the possibilities, chaps! Imagine!

(audience laughing)

James: Oh wait! I see what you got there. Is it when teens go to mall or to the arcade or do whatever they like on their free time?

Richard: Or if they were blokes, they would rather waste time playing some online PC games at their nearest internet cafe. Right?!

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: Anyway, that topic is discussable but let's just hope that DepEd should OK to the proposed school week of the MMDA. Come on, kids are itching for an extra day of break. After all, if that come into fruition, it seems that Fridays will be part of the weekends! Yay for weekenders!

(audience laughing)

Jeremy: That's the end of the news and oh, before we can say Valentine's Day to all, here's a brand new trailer for what I'm thinking to be the sequel to last year's MLP Equestria Girls. It's called MLP Equestria Girls 2: Rainbow Rocks. Here it is...

(ooohh)

Richard: Sequel? Of last year's?

James: Equestria Girls?!

Jeremy: Weren't you impressed? Anyway, time for one more stuff before we go. Here it is! Season 2 Episode 7 of Bravest Warriors. The one where Catbug's leadership skills to the test along with those cute critters alongside him. RoboChris included. He he he...



Jeremy: Well, I guess that's pretty much it. That's the end of the news!

The Geekdom's Guide To: Video Diary

HEY YOU! STOP! Before beginning this Geekdom's Guide to Video Diary, let me just say that I'm doing this for Bridgit Mendler and all of the cast and crew of Good Luck Charlie! After all, with this show coming to an end this week, we're going to miss all of Teddy Duncan's video diaries per episode as well as the misfits of the Duncan family.

Video diaries kinda more like writing stuff on your personal diary except this isn't about writing on it. It's about recording yourself on camera explaining about everything what happened today. Some people are making video diaries for themselves, others make one for a special part of the family. Even Teddy Duncan. Every end of a Good Luck Charlie episode, Teddy explains what happened in this episode shortly and concludes with the message GOOD LUCK CHARLIE. Yes, we're referring to that little girl named Charlie Duncan. Isn't she cute?

The best way to create a video diary is simple; best not to use old-school video cameras that does old-tech Betamax or VHS or whatever. Cameraphones or smartphones might be acceptable but the recommendation is a webcam. A laptop with a built-in webcam can be your best bet because they're more convenient than having one without it and waste cash buying some webcam accessories. Whichever you're on, all you need is confidence but don't worry because even nervous breakdowns or sputtering won't do a fatality on your video diary. Give em a little King's Speech trick. That would do.

The most important thing to do with your hard-worked video diary is simple; ALWAYS BACK THEM UP! A portable USB drive is too small for its capacity, even 16 or 32GB won't do a trick. Buy an external hard drive. It maybe big and expensive than portable USB drives but it has enough capacity to save your video diaries, just in case an event a computer with all your hard-worked video diaries gone wrong like for instance, virus attack, crash, or certain human errors. Perhaps any other Vic Reeves-related stupidity...(sigh)

And there we go. Video diaries are fun to preserve life's precious moments. I'm sure you Mendies out there know a thing or two about doing these.

Making a video diary...the geekdom way.

Sochi 2014 Highlights - Day Seven

13th of February, 2014 - DAY 7

So far, with seven days passed on the Sochi 2014 games, the competition's heating up for the participating countries. The winter athletes never run out of their steam when it comes to going for the gold.

Martin Fourcade from France is the winner of the Men's Individual 20km while Justyna Kowalczyk made Poland proud after winning the Ladies' 10km Classic with the time of 28:17.8.

In the Men's Ski Slopestyle Final, it's a 1-2-3 finish for Team USA as Joss Christensen placed 1st while Gus Kenworthy placed 2nd, and Nicholas Goepper placed 3rd.

At the Team Relay Luge competition, Team Germany took home the gold medal with the 2:45.649 lap time.

At the side of China, they did very well at Sochi as Jianrou Li won the Ladies' 500m Short Track Finals and Hong Zhang won the Ladies' 1000m Speed Skating finals.

Details: http://www.sochi2014.com/en/daily-schedule-day-7

Let's Do The News! (February 13, 2014)

The big scoop today...

- First turbocharged Ferrari since the F40, the new California T, set for next month's Geneva premiere, not only comes with a new front face but with a smaller, turbocharged V8 engine developing 552HP of power.

2015 Ferrari California T

- McLaren teases a new supercar called the 650S and this new supercar will slot between the MP4-12C and the P1 but what could it be? Find out in Geneva next month but my bet would be...a possible Ferrari F12 beater.

2015 McLaren 650S teaser

- A terrifying sinkhole occurred inside the famed Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA, swallowing eight Corvettes including those loaned from General Motors. No one is hurt from that car-tastrophe.

- IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Has anyone played that stupid Flappy Bird game? Yes, I know, it maybe 2014's IT game but it's by far out the most stupid game ever played on a mobile phone. So stupid, you won't want to play this game forever. It's a good thing the creator of Flappy Bird decided to pull this game out from the App Store and Google Play because why? It's life-ruining!

- Nissan is back in the Philippines under a new and unified distributor called Nissan Philippines Inc. This new distributor promises to bring back Nissan's presence to the Philippine market and to kick-off the new distributor, Nissan PH will launch the Sylphy B17 and the Altima (ahem, they're talking about Teana) L33 next month. Specs for them remain secret but what could it be?

For a quick background: the Sylphy B17 was launched in Japan last December 2012 and it's powered by a 1.8L engine mated to a CVT gearbox. The Teana L33, inspired from America's Altima, was launched in Japan earlier this month and the only engine offered is a QR25DE engine mated to a new generation XTRONIC CVT gearbox.

- Actor Vhong Navarro, while sorting out the mess against Deniece Cornejo and Cedric Lee from last month's beating, denies rumors about a viral photo of a burnt p***s that some people say it's his. He's planning to return to his presenter duties on IT'S SHOWTIME but no exact timeframe is told.

FOLLOWUP: People who are close to Deniece Cornejo's, including her family and friends, challenges Vhong to man up and face the consequences of his actions.

TTFN!!!

Mitsubishi eK Space and Nissan Dayz Roox

Last year, the NMKV joint venture between Nissan and Mitsubishi spawned off the first of their offerings as part of the partnership between these two Japanese carmakers. For Mitsubishi, they unveiled their 3rd-generation eK Wagon, along with its sporty eK Custom model, which has graduated from semi-tall kei wagon into a full-fledged tall wagon that competes against Suzuki's Wagon R and Daihatsu's Move. Coinciding with the Mitsubishi eK Wagon, Nissan unveiled its equivalent, the Dayz, which shares the same components as the new eK Wagon.

So, continuing on their NMKV progress, they've launched new models designed and engineered by Nissan and Mitsubishi, competing on the likes of Honda's N BOX, Daihatsu's Tanto (which the third-generation was recently launched last year), and Suzuki's Spacia.

2014 Mitsubishi eK Space Custom

2014 Mitsubishi eK Space

2014 Nissan Dayz Roox

They've launched two brand new kei minivans which again done under the NMKV joint venture. For Mitsubishi, it's the all new eK Space while for Nissan, it's the all new Dayz Roox. So, what is it?

Yeah, so what is it?

Both the eK Space from Mitsubishi and Dayz Roox from Nissan are super height wagon-type kei cars that provides spaciousness and conveniences that you expect from its rivals. They do come with numerous features such as the Around View Monitor operated on its rear-view mirror, super TV-cut heat-insulated glass that reflects against 99% of the sun's harmful UV rays, and the trademark touch-screen automatic air-conditioning. The same things you found from last year's eK Wagon and Roox can now be seen on these taller spin-offs. Quite a math they done here.

Like most kei-cars, they have two styles, right?

Yes, they do. Like most kei cars, the eK Space and the Dayz Roox come with two different styles that suits their individuality. There is a standard model which looks a bit as simple as shopping at the 100 Yen Store and then there's a sportier version (for Mitsubishi, the eK Space Custom while for Nissan, the Dayz Roox Highway Star) if you're feeling a bit of a high-roller without the high and the roller.

So, what's it like to be on the inside?

2014 Mitsubishi eK Space interior

2014 Mitsubishi eK Space Custom interior

2014 Nissan Dayz Roox interior

On the inside, both the Dayz Roox and the eK Space aren't really bad at all for a small height car in its size. Of course, you still see numerous stuff derived from the Dayz or the eK Wagon but what truly made these two set the benchmarks in its class was its sliding rear seats and its height. The rear seats can be slided horizontally by about 260mm, the longest in its class. Then, there's the room height that sets the benchmark of having the longest room in its class by about 1400mm. That's tall enough for Little John to stretch his arms as high as he like. It's still a spacious tall wagon and you can fit in as much as what remains from your office cubicle.

What about performance?

2014 Mitsubishi eK Space

2014 Mitsubishi eK Space Custom

2014 Nissan Dayz Roox

Even though, they're so small, they do come up being a nippy car to play with. For all models, it comes with the 660cc engine producing 49PS of power and 59Nm of torque. Because they weigh about 920kg for base models, the power-to-weight ratio would be about 18.78kg/PS. With the CVT gearbox mated along with the host of fuel-efficient features like the new battery-assist system, fuel economy is about 26kmpl, as calculated via JC08 Mode standards.

No wait...that's not right...

You sure is, with the fuel economy of 26kmpl, both the eK Space and the Dayz Roox can't match the likes of the Tanto and the Spacia but on the plus side, that's about .8kmpl more than the Honda N BOX. Pricing aside, the base eK Space costs about 1,224,300 Yen while the base Dayz Roox costs around 1,240,050 Yen so you maybe wandering why is there a 16,000 Yen price gap on these two, well at least for now because they've been launched two months before Japan implementing its 8% vehicle acquisition tax and that's going to be more costly for customers looking for kei cars.

You know what, after a whole day checking out these two new models, I couldn't work it out at all...

Available colors (eK Space): White Pearl, Cool Silver Metallic, Black, Mica, Sakura Pink Metallic, Antique Gold Metallic, Chocolat Brown Pearl, and Purplish Navy Pearl.

Available colors (Dayz Roox): White Pearl, Cool Silver Metallic, Black Pearl, Silky Rose Metallic, Azalea Pink Metallic, Pink Gold Metallic, Mocha Brown Pearl, and Premium Purple Pearl.

Photo: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation/Nissan Motor Corporation

Sochi 2014 Highlights - Day Six

12th of February, 2014 - DAY 6

At the Women's Downhill, Tina Maze of Slovenia and Dominique Gisin of Switzerland are tied and both won gold medals after sharing the same winning 1:41.57 time.

At the Pairs Free Skating, two Russian pairs got themselves a one-two combo as 1st place Russian pairs Maxim Trankov and Tatiana Volosozhar scored 236.86 points overall from the judges while 2nd place Russian pairs Fedor Klimov and Ksenia Stolbova scored an overall 218.68 points from the judges.

Team Germany is the winning country of the Doubles Run Luge, ousting the likes of Austria and Latvia with the time of 1:38.933. Also, Eric Frenzel won the Individual Gundersen NH 10km Cross Country, scoring another gold medal for the Germans.

USA's Kaitlyn Farrington won the Ladies' Halfpipe Finals and Dutch's Speed Skater, Stefan Groothuis, won the Men's 1000m.

Details: http://www.sochi2014.com/en/daily-schedule-day-6

Let's Do The News! (February 12, 2014)

Things we learned today...

- Billy Ray Cyrus, the dad of Miley, releases what is thought to be the hip-hop sequel to "Achy Breaky Heart"

- Screen legend Shirley Temple Black died at the age of 85.

- Idina Menzel, the voice of Elsa from Disney's Frozen, will perform the movie's song LET IT GO at next month's Academy Awards.

- Willie Revillame called people who helped Tado...LIARS?!

- Honda will showcase the CIVIC TYPE R CONCEPT at next month's Geneva Motor Show, previewing Honda's signature hot hatch built for the European market. Don't expect the Type R name to come back to Japan, though. As stated, the final Type R model sold in Japan was the Civic Type R Euro FN2 and after all the stocks are gone, Type R is gone for good and not coming back to Japan ever again.

2014 Honda Civic Type R Concept teaser sketch

- The S-Class Coupe from Mercedes-Benz is the replacement to the CL-Class just as what the E-Class Coupe did to the CLK five years ago.

2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe

- Audi revealed the hot version of the A1 supermini, the S1, in three-door and five-door Sportback guise. This new micro hot hatch from Audi is kinda more like a tamer version of the limited-run Audi A1 clubsport quattro but for this, it's powered by a 2.0L turbo engine generating 228HP of power and 272lb-ft of torque, mated to a six-speed gearbox.

2015 Audi S1 Sportback

- The dark days of Australian motor industry continues as Toyota Australia announced that they will stop making cars in 2017.

- THAT'S NOT GONE WELL. Honda Motor Co., Ltd announced a third recall for their hybrid models mated with the 7-speed DCT gearbox because of some...computer glitches. This affects to hybrid models of the new Honda Fit and its crossover equivalent, the Vezel.

- Character actor Roy Alvarez dies at the age of 63 due to cardiac arrest. Aside from being an actor, Alvarez is a director and scriptwriter on films, TV shows, and theater plays.

Sochi 2014 Highlights - Day Five

11th of February, 2014 - DAY 5

Five days have passed since the Sochi 2014 games began and things are heating up in the frozen battleground of Sochi, Russia. 

Belarusian athlete Darya Domracheva cleared the Women's 10km Pursuit with a winning 29:30.7 time and a gold medal for the first time for Belarus in this year's Olympics.

The Cross Country games sees a huge margin set by the Norwegians as Maiken Caspersen Falla won the Ladies' Sprint Free Finals while in the Men's Sprint Free Finals, Ola Vigen Hattestad is declared the victor. 

The Canadians did very well on the final round of the Ladies' Ski Slopestyle Final courtesy of winning Canadian Dara Howell and 3rd placer Kim LaMarre.

In the Women's Singles Luge, the Germans scored a one-two punch as Natalie Geisenberger placed 1st and Tatiana Huefner placed 2nd. Not only that, another German scored gold but this time at the Ladies' Normal Hill Individual Finals. Carina Vogt is the winner.

In the Men's Halfpipe Finals, Swiss athlete Iouri Podladtchikov is the winner while in the Ladies' 500m Race, South Korean athlete Sang Hwa Lee is the victor.

Details: http://www.sochi2014.com/en/daily-schedule-day-5

Top Gear S21E02

Top Gear S21E02

Two of the much awaited sportscars, the Alfa Romeo 4C and the McLaren P1, were the highlights of the second episode of Top Gear Season 21.

First up, Richard Hammond returns to Italy to take a spin on the Alfa Romeo 4C lightweight sportscars until Jeremy Clarkson issues him a challenge in an amphibious quadbike on a cross-country race in Lago Como, Italy. At the end, it's a proof that the Alfa 4C is better than an amphibous quadbike...just. After the battle, The Stig set off and the 4C posted a 1:24.8 lap time round the TG track.

Then, James May returns to the Middle East to investigate military vehicles.

Tom Hiddleston, the actor feared and respected for being Thor's evil brother, Loki, is the STAR IN A REASONABLY PRICED CAR and he posted a 1:49.9 lap time round the Top Gear Track in a wet condition.

After that, the episode concludes with Jeremy Clarkson arriving on Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, to take on the ultimate hybrid-engine wielding hypercar, the McLaren P1.

Next week on Top Gear; the Ukraine Small Car Road Trip, the Zenvo, and James Blunt.

Sochi 2014 Highlights - Day Four

10th of February, 2014 - DAY 4

German skier Maria Hoefl-Riesch is declared the victor of the Women's Super Combined Slalom after posted a 2:34.62 time and winning the gold medal for her fellow German athletes while two of the French athletes for the Men's 12.5km Pursuit did a good show on the spectators. Martin Fourcade placed 1st place with a 33:48.6 time while his fellow French Jean Guillaume Beatrix placed 3rd with a time of 34:12.8.

On this day, Canada scores big time as Alex Bilodeau won the Men's Moguls after three consecutive rounds and Charles Hamelin cleared the Men's 1500m Finals after posting his 2:14.985 time and won the gold medal.

At the second round of the Men's 500m Speed Skating, the Dutch done a 1-2-3 punch combo at the finish line as Michel Mulder placed 1st, Jan Smeekens placed 2nd, and Ronald Mulder placed 3rd.

Details: http://www.sochi2014.com/en/daily-schedule-day-4

Sochi 2014 Olympics runs until February 23, 2014 and as the slogan suggest: HOT. COOL. YOURS.

Six Nations 2014 - Round 2

The second round of the RBS Six Nations 2014 is a disaster for our hero rugby team, the Wales' WRU, as they got overwhelmed by Ireland at the score of 26 to 3, in favor of the Irish, and if that wasn't enough, the try from Ireland's Chris Henry and Paddy Jackson is worth more than enough to topple our Welsh heroes at the Aviva Stadium.

Highlights:

 

Full report here.

Well, that was a disappointing loss for our Welsh rugby heroes but when they face FFR in Round 3, things are going to be different from now on.

Also in Round 2 of the RBS Six Nations 2014, the England Rugby never let Scotland to score not even one point and because of such overwhelming progress, England wins at the score of 20-0. Tough luck for Scotland.

Highlights:



Full report here.

And lastly, France's FFR won the round against Italy's FIR at the score of 30-10.

Highlights:



Full report here.

So, Ireland and France are in the lead at the standings with two wins each while England and Wales had one win each and the teams with no wins each were Italy and Scotland. Tune in for Round 3 of the RBS Six Nations 2014 soon!

And one more thing before I go: GO WALES!!!

Sochi 2014 Highlights - Day Three

9th of February, 2014 - DAY 3

Matthias Mayer from Austria won the Men's Downhill while Slovakia's Anastasiya Kuzmina posted a 21:06.8 time and won the gold medal at the Women's 7.5km Sprint Biathlon. In the Men's Skiathlon 15km Classic + 15km Free, Switzerland's Dario Cologna posted a 1:08:15.4 time and took home the gold medal.

At the Team Ice Dance Free Dance, the Russians did a very good job on that portion of the Winter Olympics and they took home the Gold Medal. That's a score for Team Russia. 

On the Men's Singles Run 4 (the Luge portion of the games), a German named Felix Loch ousted the competition with an amazing 3:27.526 time, winning a gold medal for his German winter athletes while the final round of the Men's Normal Hill Ski Jumping for Individuals, Poland's Kamil Stoch scored an impressive 278 points from the judges and scored him a gold medal.

Jamie Anderson from Team USA won the gold medal for her win at the Ladies' Slopestyle Finals while at the Ladies' 3000m Speed Skating, a Dutch named Irene Wust blown the competition away with her 4:00.34 time.

Details: http://www.sochi2014.com/en/daily-schedule-day-3