Let's Do The News! (July 26, 2014)

The big scoop today...

- Republican representative Sarah Palin caught speeding in Alaska last week, but as she told to TMZ, she even put some NASCAR references on her "speeding" issue.

- Back at the Ukraine stand-off, there's a report stating that Pro-Russian rebels took credit for shooting down two Ukrainian mercenary fighter jets over Donetsk.

- Jaguar Land Rover has purchase a garage full of 130 Jaguars from the 543-car collection of Dr. James Hull.

- McLaren's track-only P1 GTR has been teased in sketches before its debut at the Pebble Beach Concours.

P1 GTR Teaser Sketch

- Volkswagen Group confirms that there's a new Bugatti coming this 2016 but what could this be? The world will never know...

- Aston Martin released their teaser sketch for their upcoming flagship 4-door premium sedan to be sold exclusively to the Middle East.

A teaser for Aston Martin's Arab-exclusive saloon

- In 2015, expect 9 long weekends in the Philippines!

- Since 2009, Foursquare was launched as an app where people can check in on places where they're on and most travel buggies loved this nifty little check-in app. This 2014, there's going to be big changes in the world of Foursquare. As officially announced by the staff, most of the check-ins are now moved to their new app, Swarm. Most of their past check-ins will retain as well as the user's friends and pics. And yes, there's a new Foursquare coming up...

- This will be the last Ford Falcon they'll ever make as the Australian-made 4-door saloon has been given its final minor change and for this final minor change, the XR8 name has returned.

2014 Ford Falcon XR8

TTFN!!!

"Love's ultimate solution to lighten stubborn dark spots"

On the July 25, 2014 episode of Bubble Gang...

- "Wag Tayo Aalis" gags

- The Spoiled Wife

- Lala Ytera meddles with the ladies.

- Godfather Don Cantoni tries to please his new men at the dinner meeting but something's not right.

- IKAW AT ANG INA takes on...nonsense pics with nonsense captions!!!

- Bubble Gang does Dove Ultimate White Deodorant by spoofing this commercial as LOVE ULTIMATE WHITE DEODORANT! Love's ultimate solution to lighten stubborn dark spots.

- Istambay, Istambay sa Looban, Ready na ba kayo sa kuwentuhan, May bagong karakter sa tambayan, Dati siya sa kanyang...KAPRANINGAN?!

- Sorry Mr. Waiter, but your rival cafe's way better than yours...or is it?!

- Say hello to Mr. Matapobre! Defender of the rich, offender against the poor!

- IyoTube in Miley Cyrus' We Can't Stop

Citroen C4 Cactus

The Citroen C4 range once has a hatchback, the Picasso minivans, and the Aircross compact SUV. Now, the C4 family has expanded with a new member and what's this? C4 Cactus? The Cactus is a crossover, just like the Aircross, but there's more to this story than that.

2015 Citroen C4 Cactus

You see the Citroen C4 Cactus isn't more of a crossover nor a compact in its own right. It was made for those who can't really afford a regular C4 hatchback because when you look at their prices, the C4 Cactus starts at 13,950 Euros TTC, which is 5,250 Euros less than the normal C4 hatchback. That's a good merit for the Cactus, but what can you expect from the C4's lesser sibling?

Judging by its looks, it can be somewhat too cheeky in design terms. The front face looks as if it has the headlamps of the new Jeep Cherokee while the paneling on the side view feels like when steel and chocolate got accidentally fused. Oh my goodness. It looks like a mutated chocolate bar on wheels and if anyone has a craving for chocolates, look away now because you've just chased a moving piece of chocolate bar. Ha ha ha...

2015 Citroen C4 Cactus interior

2015 Citroen C4 Cactus interior

What about the interior? Well, I was expecting good things and it is but only just. When fully equipped, you can enjoy what's inside the Cactus and you'll get the same experience as you would expect from a cheap girl's car from Japan. Yes, Toyota Passo reference. But this isn't a Toyota Passo for some unknown reasons. This is a budget car loaded with some premium stuff such as a digital instrumental panel, touch screen for climate control, navigation, radio, and some thingamabobs, and for the first time, the airbag was displaced to the roof. Sounds clever but what about driving.

It behaves like a normal and civilized car. There's no complicated wizardry involved and driving one of these is incredibly easy, although you might be experiencing some understeering but never mind about that. The C4 Cactus is a simple car made for novice of drivers because thanks to its low cost of ownership, almost everyone can afford this simple machine made of simple stuff.

For a car so simple, the Cactus is available with the choice of three petrol engines and two diesel engines. The top-of-the-line is the one with the BlueHDi 100 engine mated with a 5-speed manual gearbox. It will do 0-100kph in 10.7 seconds and a top speed of 184kph. It's not what you call quick but as a city car, the Cactus tries to be content with what it has but is the car content even though it doesn't have a split-fold rear seat or a wind-down back windows? Even though it doesn't have those like you would expect in a typical Citroen, it's natural.

2015 Citroen C4 Cactus

So would you buy one? Even though it costs less than a normal C4, you should go for it if you're new to the world of motoring but if you want something even more affordable than the C4 Cactus but sacrifice its sizing for something else, get yourself a new C1.

Photo: PSA Peugeot Citroen

Let's Do The News! (July 25, 2014)

The big scoop today...

- You may remember that yesterday, Air Algerie lost contact with one of their planes nearly an hour after takeoff from Burkina Faso to Algiers. Now, there's a new report stating that the Air Algerie flight AH5017, which carried 116 passengers inside, was likely crashed in the city of Mali. Reports stating that this flight asked to adjust its route due to the typhoon.

- AWESOME! The Bat Tumbler from The Dark Knight trilogy films has spawned a buildable LEGO version! The LEGO Bat Tumbler will go on sale this September at a very expensive $199 and it has 1,869 pieces for LEGO enthusiasts to build it themselves.

LEGO Bat Tumbler

- SUPER HEROES! SWEATY NERDS! AN EPIC BATTLE! There's a new special event going on now on the Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff app! On this special event, there's a Quahog Comic Con happening now and Peter Griffin can't wait to see celebrities guesting on this convention. Only problem is that nerds are infesting his day! Get a chance to score superhero-ish prizes as well as superhero costumes for Peter, Chris, Lois, and Quagmire. Not only that, you can also win special celebrities to use in-game such as Patrick Stewart, Ron Perlman, Felicia Day, Stan Lee, and our very own Mr. Sulu himself, George Takei! Get going! Oh, and tell those geeks and nerds to back off before you'll EXTERMINATE them. POW!

- Rainbow Rocks, the sequel to last year's My Little Pony: Equestria Girls, is hitting participating theaters this September 27, 2014!

- Subaru teases their brand new sports sedan, the WRX S4, coming this late August 2014. It comes with the same features as the LEVORG sports tourer. It has the 2.0L "Blue Boxer" DIT engine, Sport Lineartronic CVT, and Eyesight Ver. 3.

WRX S4

As you may know, the WRX S4 they're referring from Subaru is this...

2015 Subaru WRX

Just to let you know...

- Dog With A Blog's G Hannelius has a brand new single titled "4:45". This digital single is now available on iTunes!

4:45

- Since its launch last month, Daihatsu's revived Copen kei roadster has scored over 4,000 orders. Over 5 times more than the 700 monthly unit target.

- Team RWBY returns as the first episode of RWBY Chapter 2 is now streaming on CrunchyRoll! In the first episode, the girls are back for their second semester at Beacon. Enjoy watching the first episode of the latest chapter of the popular RWBY web series now on CrunchyRoll.

- A 5.4M quake jolted Southern Leyte.

- When the next time you and your family are enjoying a movie time on cinemas, trailers of violent movies will no longer be present in theaters that show movies with the General Audience rating or those approved for young audiences, according to the MTRCB.

TTFN!!!

Let's Do The News! (July 24, 2014)

The big scoop today...

- During the onslaught of Typhoon Glenda, about 28 houses were destroyed by this deadly typhoon that ravaged the Philippines last week.

- Air Algerie lost contact with one of their planes nearly an hour after takeoff from Burkina Faso to Algiers. This is just another one of air travel problems moments after a SAM shot at a Malaysian Airlines plane in Ukraine.

- Cupcakes, rainbows, and murder?! If this could turn into a Robot Chicken sketch, I'm sold because recently, publisher Harper Collins pulled out most of the Hello Kitty Dictionary inventories after a complaint from a British mum regarding a "murderous description". The word in question from the Hello Kitty Dictionary is "necklace".

necklace noun (1) a piece of jewellery which a woman wears around her neck (2) In South Africa, a name for a tyre filled with petrol which is placed round a person's neck and set on fire in order to kill that person

Uh-oh...Looks like with that murderous description about the "necklace" word, it seems this dictionary is too inappropriate for the little girls.

- The Nissan Note E12 now comes with the NISMO model for the first time! Apart from the base NISMO model which comes with the 1.2L DIG-S engine and a CVT, there's the NISMO S model which uses the same 1.5L engine from the March K13 NISMO and it's mated with a 5-speed manual gearbox. It's coming this autumn 2014 exclusively to the Japanese market.

2015 Nissan Note NISMO

- IT'S THE NEW PORSCHE CAYENNE! Sort of... The facelifted second-generation Cayenne is now available with the Cayenne S E-Hybrid, which is the first plug-in hybrid in the premium SUV segment.

2015 Porsche Cayenne

- The third DLC catalog for the PS3-exclusive THE iDOLM@STER ONE FOR ALL has finally announced and it's available this 29th of July on the PlaystationStore. For this third DLC, experience an all new scenario known as ７６５プロ、常夏の島へ行く, which features a quintet performance from the song as heard from THE iDOLM@STER MOVIE called ラムネ色 青春 while most of your idols are now donned in their brand new outfit known as "Sea Bloom Curtain".

Also in the catalog is the special appearance of Ai, Eri, and Ryo from iM@S Dearly Stars. Then, new outfits to try on such as Abyssal Majesty, 765 Color Glitter, Sailor Swimsuit, Princess Melody, 765 Academy Jersey, Burning Performer, and Cyber Starship. And finally, additional songs such as 待ち受けプリンス, 神SUMMER!!, 七彩ボタン, and ポジティブ！

- The first 100 out of the 200 cars in the upcoming Forza Horizon 2 video game on the XBOX consoles are announced! On the first 100, there are new additions to the Forza series such as the Renault Alpine A110, Jeep Willys MB, and the Volkswagen Type 2 De Luxe (otherwise known as the SambaBus).

- Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is offering everyone a PhP1,000,000 reward for those who can give information on the killers behind the murder of racing car driver Enzo Pastor.

- America's biggest fast food chains got dragged as the toxic food scandal in China lingers.

TTFN!!!

Driving Music (What is the name of the song on car commercial?) Vol. 63

As I checked into the inbox, I noticed that there's a message sent by some Facebook user a few days ago. Some guy sent me a link that it turns out to be a promo video of a luxury car. He even told me the words "Any idea of the song Leopaul?"

Well, I can't tell you the name of some sender but I'll respond to that message stating that music used in that promo video of a luxury car. Maserati Quattroporte to be exact.

Well, I'm very sorry. I tried identifying the song and the results came out empty. As it turns out, it's original. Thanks for asking.

I have an important announcement to make in this segment. Due to the quietness because I don't see any car enthusiasts snickering around the search engines asking what is the name of the song on a car commercial, it's time to double the list from the usual five to 10 songs! TEN SONGS! That's right. You heard me. Starting now, I'll be listing ten driving musics on the "DRIVING MUSIC" segment.

All right then, let's pump up the gas...and some volume. Ready? Engage!

10. Let's Go by Bean - from the 2014 Mitsubishi Motors USA Mirage "Big Night Out" commercial.

9. Fame by David Bowie - from the Cadillac Escalade "Evolution of Luxury" TV commercial.

8. Run To You by Bryan Adams - from the Suzuki Swift Style TV commercial from Japan.

7. スターライトパレード by SEKAI NO OWARI - from the Toyota Ractis commercial from Japan.

6. Nights Like This by Eli "Paperboy" Reed - from the Toyota USA RAV4 "Party" TV commercial.

5. Gunshot by Lykke Li - from the Peugeot 108 commercial.

4. Shady by Adam Lambert feat. Nile Rodgers and Sam Sparro - from the Kia Soul EV commercial.

3. Turn Me On by Vitamin C - from the Toyota Thailand Soluna commercial.

2. Send Me On My Way by Rusted Root - from a certain Enterprise Rent-A-Car commercial.

1. Love Never Felt So Good by Michael Jackson - from Jeep "Definition of Summer" commercial

Driving Music from Leopaul's Blog is the segment where solves every car enthusiasts' questions about the title of the song of car commercials...with the risk of MATCHED THIRD PARTY CONTENT on their status. Acknowledge or dispute, it's your choice.

2015 Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO

Last year, the Z34 Nissan Fairlady Z got itself a NISMO version and for the NISMO version, part of Nissan's revitalized NISMO performance brand, the speedo boy favorite Nissan FR sportscar has gotten even better and its VQ37VHR's power output is up from 336PS to 355PS of power while being mated with either a 7-speed auto or a 6-speed manual gearbox with SynchroRev match system in which the revs match the gearbox.

2015 Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO

In Nissan's quest for more Zswagger-ness, this Zswagger has been upgraded. Their 2015 update on the Fairlady Z NISMO is almost as sharper as its big brother, the GT-R NISMO, in terms of exterior design. See?

2015 Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO speedometer

2015 Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO interior

So, the exterior for the 2015 Z NISMO is new, right. Because of its GT-R-inspired front bumpers, not only it looks aggressive but it's also more aerodynamic than the last Z NISMO. Other changes include a deep front fascia with LED Hyper Daytime Running Lights, black headlight bezels, a Nismo emblem, and a signature Nismo red stripe accent on the integrated front chin spoiler. On the back, you will notice that the rear bumper's been redesigned and the rear spoiler has been reshaped and downsized. Also, its 19's rims, developed by RAYS ENGINEERING, have been redesigned and it's finished in charcoal gray instead of silver from the last model.

Inside, you can expect new black and red Recaro leather-appointed sport seats with red seat trim and stitching with the Nismo logo as well as an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel. The speedometer still reads up to 280kph, just like the previous Z NISMO. This will surely keep the Zswaggers longing for days on the road and on the track.

2015 Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO

Like the previous model, the Fairlady Z NISMO's VQ37VHR engine develops 355PS of power while being mated with either a 7-speed auto or a 6-speed manual gearbox with SynchroRev match system in which the revs match the gearbox. Handling aside, the NISMO model adds dynamics Zswaggers would only dream of such as extensive use of 4-wheel independent suspension, Nismo-branded strut tower brace, and performance dampers. There are even tons of several improvements for this 2015 model that will keep Zswaggers enjoying for days.

The 6-speed manual model costs 5,626,800 Yen while the 7-speed automatic model costs 5,734,800 Yen.

Available colors: Vibrant Red, Diamond Black, Brilliant Silver, and Brilliant White Pearl.

Photo: Nissan Motor Corporation