Forza Horizon 2: Noble Roar with the Noble Heart

It's been a while since the last time the Noble M600 appeared on is on the first Forza Horizon game since 2012 and now it's back on Forza Horizon 2 via the Launch Bonus Pack. I am very excited to drive the pride of Leicester once again in this beautiful European scenery.



The M600 from Noble is powered by a Yamaha-derived Volvo 4.4L V8 engine with added twin turbos to deliver either from 450HP up to 650HP at the flick of the switch. Although free of any electronic driving nonsense, the Noble is equipped with a traction control switch that resembles of a fail-safe button seen on fighter jets. With the traction control off, driving the Noble is a hard thing to do due to its sensitive handling that will send even the unskilled drivers flying but at the hands ot the brave and skilled drivers, this is one fast hypercar they won't have to worry about especially when the power-to-weight ratio of this car eclipsed the Bugatti Veyron.

In Race setting, the 0-60mph time is three seconds and top speed of an estimated 225mph, more than the Lamborghini Aventador's 217mph speed.

Anyway, enough of the description, it's time to continue my journey because with three championships left before the finale, I will drive the Noble for the championship I've signed up and yes, hypercars are the prime specimens for this championship. Venue? Nice Massena. Ah, France. I always love to drive on French roads in this game because...it's my style you know.



In preparation for the clash of hypercars in Nice, some major improvements have been made on my Noble while taking advantage of the Veyron-eclipsing power-to-weight ratio. I also made some finishing touches on the exterior so who did I featured this time? Yep. You guessed. I've made a design of Pokemon XY's Serena and Pancham for my Noble.

Sure, you might be thinking that's not Serena but yes she is because she now has a new look. From pink dresses, red sleeveless trench coats, blue ribbons, short hairs, new hats, Serena's changed from who you think she is and I chose this Noble to reflect her change because...it's just like that one episode of Top Gear when Richard Hammond's Noble broke down and then replaced with a new one during their Italian road trip.

Anyway, no Italian road trip here because the venue I'll be taking on is Nice, which is in France and France is where the inspiration of Kalos comes from, and this is where I'm going to continue my road on the finale.



With a little slice of Kalos in our side, it's time for the Noble to unleash...it's Noble Roar.





After winning the championship, it looks like the Noble told me that it wants to race in this place as long as it wants and as long as we're in France, the Noble founds its true home on the road. This car made me proud on what we're fighting for and look at its race-torn radiance, it shows that this car is not giving up without a great show and as long as I'm on the wheel, the Noble tries to show even the most established of the supercars will be feared for.

Now with two more championships left on the trot, my journey to the finale continues. Well done, Noble. You made me happy.

Let's Do The News! (February 17, 2015)

Welcome back. Here is your current sitrep:

- Onto the Ukraine Crisis, the government forces and the pro-Russian rebels have failed to begin pulling out heavy weaponry from the front line, despite a Monday deadline. They've been given two days after the latest ceasefire came into effect to start the pullout but the Ukrainian government said they will not pull back until the fighting is over.

- Onto the Greek debt crisis, Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said that they are ready and willing to do whatever it takes to reach agreement over its bailout after the failed talks with EU finance ministers.

- Thousands of Danes have marched through Copenhagen to mourn the death of the two victims killed from separate deadly attacks over the weekend at a free-speech event and a synagogue.

- Japan announced a new set of counterterrorism measures, including an additional 15.5 million dollars to combat terrorism in Middle Eastern and African countries.

- According to military officials, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters occupied at least two barangays in the town of Pikit, North Cotabato, forcing thousands of civilians to evacuate.

- The KAI-Lockheed team are the sole bidder for South Korea's KF-X fighter jet program because while the first round of the bidding, held last 9th of February, failed due to lack of bidders, they've submitted a proposal by the deadline according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. The second round of bidding will close on the 24th and if there's no competitor in the bidding, KAI-Lockheed will gain access to the 8.6 trillion won project for developing an F-16-based aircraft over the next eight years, replacing the aging F-4 Phantom IIs and F-5 Tiger IIs from their fleet.

- Citroen no more for the 2016 DS5 minor change because the latest facelift sees a departure from the Citroen name and the signature chevron grille because it's a clear sign that DS is now a separate brand from Citroen. It's set for this year's Geneva Motor Show debut next month.

2016 DS 5

- Naomi Wakabayashi, the voiceover behind THE iDOLM@STER's Ritsuko Akizuki, gave birth to a baby girl and she's going to take a break from her career to take care of child but promises she will return.

- Former Laguna governor Jeorge E.R Estregan announced that he'll be producing an upcoming biopic in tribute to the slain 44 Special Action Force units called SAF Special Action Force: Para sa Diyos, Para sa Bayan, Para sa Tao. This biopic showcases the bravery of the 44 SAF units up until their bloody death from the Mamasapano clash last January.

- Fashion brand Bench released an official statement over their controversial billboard promoting homosexuality and denies order to blur portion of the photo. The billboard in question features Vince Uy and Nino Gaddi holding hands with the tagline "LOVE ALL KINDS OF LOVE"

TTFN!!!

Top Gear S22E04

Top Gear S22E04

Finally, the fourth episode of this season of Top Gear is all focused on cars and that's about it as James May tries out the brand new Mercedes-AMG GT round the track. When handed to The Stig, it lapped round the Top Gear track in 1:17.5.

Then, Jeremy Clarkson tries out a handful of two Bimmers, the new M3 round the track and the new i8 PHEV sportscar on a trip to Whitby, where he will make a decisive choice between these two...and he ended up choosing the i8 anyway.

Focus stars Margot Robbie and Will Smith are the Stars In The Reasonably Priced Car and looks like Margot had beaten Will Smith at the lapboard because while he set a lap time of 1:47.2, Margot did it in 1:47.1

Lastly, Richard Hammond tries to say goodbye to the legendary Land Rover Defender by driving one on top of the dam just like as happened on the classic advert. Despite having the extra equipment and the intense feels, he failed because that's what the producers told when he was nearing the finish point.

Let's Do The News! (February 16, 2015)

Welcome back. Here is your current sitrep:

- Egyptian forces have bombed Islamic State targets in Libya, hours after the video showing the apparent beheadings of 21 Egyptian Christians. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi condemned the IS as "inhuman criminal killers" and they had the right to respond against these militants.

- Danish policemen accused two men of helping the suspected gunman, named Omar El-Hussein, who murdered two people in separate attacks in Copenhagen. The said gunman was fatally shot by police after he attacked a free speech debate and a synagogue, killing the film director and a synagogue guard while injured five people.

- The US Federal Aviation Administration releases draft rules for flying unmanned drones for commercial uses. Under the rules announced on Sunday, drones weighing 25kg or less would be able to fly up to 150m above the ground at speeds up to 160kph. It also prohibits drones from approaching airports, travel routes of conventional aircraft, and highly populated areas. The FAA will finalize the rules within the next two years after public opinions and revising the draft based on them.

- US First Lady Michelle Obama, is scheduled to visit Japan this March. This is her first visit as the wife of the current US president will participate in a symposium on educational support for women in developing countries.

- Terror threats in Germany prompted the police in the northern German city Braunschweig to cancel the city's Carnival parade, less than 90 minutes before the festival was to begin, sadden most spectators and citizens. The information is from a reliable national defense source and they urged all participants not to go to the festival site.

- The surgical operation for Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong's prostate cancer was a success and he is expected to fully recover, according to officials. This is his second fight with cancer for the 63-year-old Singaporean Premier who has also undergone chemotherapy for lymphoma in 1993 and is now in remission.

- According to Senator Ralph Recto, the Bangsamoro Basic Law needs to be revised, stating that it was "littered with policy landmines which must be defused". He also said that this law must be cured from its perceived constitutional defects following the Mamasapano killings last month.

- Watch Scuderia Ferrari's new recruit Sebastian Vettel taking a spin on Ferrari's FXX K hybrid racer round the Fiorano test track.

- The latest Jay Leno's Garage webcast puts the spotlight on the mythical Oldsmobile Cutlass Banshee driven by James Garner.



TTFN!!!

Six Nations 2015 - Round 2

Looks like the WRU from Wales are starting to bounce back after their loss in the first round of this season's Six Nations rugby after their close-shave win against Scotland at the score of 23-26, in favor of the Welsh. As a matter of fact, it was the try from player Jonathan Davies during the second half that impressed the Welsh rugby team and their great execution of this match handed them a clear win against the Scots.

Highlights:



Meanwhile, the England Rugby defeated Italy's FIR at the score of 47-17 and the IRFU won the match against France's FFR at the score of 18-11.

So far, the England Rugby and the IRFU scored two wins on this season while the FFR and the WRU scored just one win and FFR and Scotland never won any.

The next match starts at February 28, 2015, with Scotland taking on the FIR, FFR vs. the WRU, and on the next day, that is March 1, 2015, the IRFU vs. the England Rugby.

Fifty Shades of Grey (2015 film)

One of the world's bestselling novels of all time is now made into a motion picture that is enveloped with lusty fetishes and well, pretty much it. It's no wonder why an erotic novel like Fifty Shades of Grey became a cult following even though this is the first chapter of the Fifty Shades trilogy but when moviegoers going to spend with their Valentines dates watching, this movie will make every man's girlfriend dumping for and worth bedwetting for after watching the whole film from start to finish.

Starring Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle, Eloise Mumford, and Victor Rasuk, the first chapter of the Fifty Shades trilogy sees a young literature student Anastasia Steele on an assignment to interview businessman Christian Grey until their fateful encounter between Ana and Grey changed their lives forever and their deepest, darkest temptations between them began to unravel.

True to its erotic theme just like from the novel written by E.L James, Fifty Shades of Grey really blows the viewers' minds with its endless fetishes as well as the suspense it delivers but it still doesn't have the charm to impress the viewers just yet because it doesn't have the fizz and the zing that most romantic dramas offer but it doesn't even matter for the testosterone-worthy viewers.

Hey, if whoever finished watching this movie, looks like someone's on a bedwetting experience, remembering the erotic moments between Ana and Mr. Grey and this romantic poison really is lust-worthy and intoxicating. It really is stimulating enough to beat you unconsciously and uncontrollably if you can't get enough. After all, this is only the beginning.

My rating: 3.7 out of 5 (4.5 when you wet yourself to bed after watching this film)

Nissan Fuga Y51 -2015 facelift-

2015 Nissan Fuga

The second-generation Nissan Fuga has now been facelifted for the 2015 model year and just as what happened on the latest-generation Skyline, this latest facelift now wears a new exterior design as well as the use of Infiniti badges for no reason and that's pretty much it. Believe it or not, this facelifted Nissan Fuga was sold globally as the Infiniti Q70, the new name for the Infiniti M a few moments ago following Infiniti's new naming structure that began with the Q50, which is the V37 Skyline saloon.

Perhaps now, you will no longer call it a Nissan or an Infiniti Q70 if you're in Japan right now. It's now just Fuga for the meantime because even with the Infiniti badges slapped on it, it's too significant for Nissan to ditch the Fuga nameplate anyhow.

2015 Nissan Fuga

2015 Nissan Fuga interior

Anyway, the facelifted Fuga draws its inspiration from its little brother, the V37 Skyline, judging from its exterior design. One look and you will notice that it's like its little brother accidentally took the blue pill. On the inside, there's nothing new about it. You still have a well-crafted wooden trim, an optional VIP package that features a rear-seat entertainment system, Fine Vision gauges, a 7-inch full-color vehicle information display, CARWINGS navigation system, a BOSE Surround Sound System, and pretty much about it. Yep. Nothing's new about the insides.

2015 Nissan Fuga

Engine choices remained the same. You can still choose between the entry-level 2.5L V6, 3.7L V6, and the top-of-the-line 3.5L V6 hybrid. All of these engines are mated with the 7-speed automatic gearbox while 3.7L variants get an optional Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system.

New for the 2015 minor change is an array of safety systems available such as Predictive Forward Collision Warning system, Lane Departure Warning, Intelligent Cruise Control, Intelligent Pedal, Around View Monitor, Backup Collision Intervention, and Forward Emergency Braking. These tech features really made the new Fuga more aware of its surroundings regardless of any direction it's on.

The new Fuga starts at 4,104,000 up to 6,874,869 Japanese Yen.

Available colors: Premium Brown, Dark Metal Grey, Brilliant Silver, Crystal White Pearl, Dark Blue, Garnet Black, Super Black.

Photo: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Forza Horizon 2: VANQUISHing Horizon Again

Ah yes. The Aston Martin Vanquish, the flagship grand tourer from the Aston Martin range. Although it doesn't have the capability to lash out its firepower against the mightiest sportscars in the world, it has one of the most dramatic looks for a grand tourer of this calibur. It truly represents the brand's motto of POWER, BEAUTY, and SOUL in the right places and here in Forza Horizon 2, I can have as much fun as I want in the Vanquish and still keeps me happy even though this car is just a few years old.



When this car showed up on the original Horizon, I have fallen in love with it. It looks harmonious but when in races, it starting to unravel its true potential as a grand tourer and that won my heart over since I've been asking for this car for moments when Aston Martin launched the new Vanquish last 2012 to replace the DBS.

Now that we're in Europe, the Aston Martin Vanquish starting to feel like home because its potential as a grand tourer can't be contained. Sure, you can take one out for a race but enjoying this car on free roam is much more knowing to the Vanquish. It likes to take some time out after its long grueling races against its rival GT cars but when the opportunity rises, the Vanquish is ready for almost everything. A formidable car to start at but behind the scenes, it's magnificent to drive from sunrise to sunset.

With four races left for me before the finale, I decided that it's the Aston's time to shine for the championship I've signed up, which is held at Saint-Martin, but first...



FLASH MAKEOVER! I've gave the Vanquish its "BEAUTY" credentials it deserved. To be honest, it's been recycled from what I did on my Ford Fiesta ST. The Gardevoir and Mega Gardevoir design from Pokemon XY, I've changed its colors to replicate their..."shiny" appearance. Oh come on! You know what a "shiny" Pokemon is, right? A Pokemon of a different color! Anyway, because it matches the theme of "POWER, BEAUTY, and SOUL" from the Vanquish and after taking some extensive improvements on the performance, it's time to set off for a road trip.



And now, its racing action!





Good job. You really are Aston Martin's ultimate GT after all and all that beautiful designs I've made really motivated you to winning this championship. Now, let's go home.



The Aston Martin Vanquish finally accomplished its own 60 minutes of fame but with three championships left before the finally, my journey's almost at an end but what will I accomplish on the last three before the big sendoff? Find out soon as the journey continues!

Bubble Gang - February 13, 2015

On the February 13, 2015 episode of Bubble Gang...

- How Mr. Assimo ruined Valentines...

- Valentines gift gags

- The old couple...do they remember the good times even on Valentines day?

- The search for his lost dog gets complicated.

- Looks like his luck at his love life changes even if its Friday the 13th. Weren't you nervous?

- Valentines day tips for the unlucky men.

- Who is that old man's new date?

- Bubble Gang's PARD are back with their new song SAGING!

Saba

Latundan

Lakatan

Senorita

- Buying at the "inconvenience store".

Inconvenience Store

- This guy tries to prove he likes gay men...until he beats the crud out of someone...

Let's Do The News! (February 12, 2015)

Welcome back. Here is your current sitrep:

- THIS JUST IN: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a ceasefire that will take place in eastern Ukraine on the 15th of February. The Russian leader said that they've managed to agree on the main issues following talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko, as well the top leaders from Europe.

- The top officials of the eurozone and Greece have failed to reach an agreement to resolve the Greek debt crisis, though both sides said there's a possibility. They've spent seven hours of talks in Brussels but ended without a joint statement to outline procedural steps ahead of further talks next Monday.

- Former Korean Air vice president Cho Hyun-ah, infamous over her in-flight "nut rage" incident last year, was sentenced by the South Korean court to one year imprisonment for breaking an aviation safety law.

- US President Barack Obama urged the Republican-controlled Congress to request for military force on the long-going fight against the ISIS.

- IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: A Pinay nurse from Saudi Arabia was tested positive from the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus or MERS-CoV, according to the Department of Health but they've told there's nothing to panic about it. They're currently investigating the passengers that the infected Pinay nurse was along with them and do whatever they can to prevent the Corona Virus from spreading through the Philippines.

- PNP officer-in-charge Leonardo Espina became emotional during the Wednesday hearing on the Mamasapano encounter that killed 44 Special Action Force units last month. Espina demanded answers on why many of his injured units were shot at close range. If that wasn't enough, there was a viral video of a brutal killing of an SAF member but it's not yet confirmed.

- HeadSqueeze is now renamed as BRIT LAB as the BBC-run, science-themed Youtube channel gets a new look. Even with the new name and schedule, this channel continues to provide the best from the world of science and technology. Here's the announcement clip.



- The second-generation Chevrolet Equinox crossover gets a minor change for this year's Chicago Auto Show.

2016 Chevrolet Equinox

- Steering column problems prompted Nissan to recall their Infiniti crossovers and some of their GT-R supercars.

TTFN!!!

Honda Jade

2015 Honda Jade

The all-new Honda Jade MPV served as the replacement to the Stream, which was discontinued last year along with the 1.8L VTEC engine in it, and although it doesn't look as decent as the Stream it replaces as well as the fact that this is a hybrid MPV, there's some potential going on with Honda's brand new people carrier fit enough to carry your friends or family on your next day-off or holiday or vacation, whatever you're dealing on your planner right now.

2015 Honda Jade

Of course this is a brand new MPV from Honda but underneath, it's just the third-generation Fit just like what the Vezel crossover and the Grace sedan had. Because it's based on the latest Honda Fit, it comes with the 1.5L petrol engine connected to an electric motor and lithium-ion battery while mated with Honda's ambitious but rubbish seven-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox. Not just that, it was the next Honda to be equipped with the revolutionary Honda Sensing safety system first applied on the flagship Legend saloon and the updated version of the latest Honda Odyssey luxury minivan. I'll talk about those later but first, the design.

The design is more of a mixed reactions of good and bad but overall, it looks somewhat average. Not too good but not too bad either. It even comes with Honda's signature "EXCITING H DESIGN!!!" language that tries to mask this MPV into something exciting but in truth, wasn't as exciting as drivers would hope for but never mind about that because that doesn't bother that fact of being a people carrier that offers practicality for all.

2015 Honda Jade interior

2015 Honda Jade interior

The inside view also comes with mixed reactions between good and bad. The dashboard's all futuristic and really means business for the driver in charge. Once more, you can seat up to six people inside and what's more clever is that the 2nd row seats can be arranged V-wards back and forth.

Space is a big issue here for the Jade and because of the third-row seat occupied the entire rear, there's no room for your groceries you've shopped and there's going to be some situations you'll be facing with. You can either fold the rear seats (if you don't have someone at the back) or you can tell them (if they're seating in the back) to hold it for them. Wow. This is definitely not your kind of MPV if you have mates going out with you on an outdoor trip to Mt. Fuji or Hokkaido so what now? Looks like the rear space is a big issue for the Jade when the third-row seats are present.

2015 Honda Jade

Now, let's examine the Jade's hybrid powerplant and since this is based on the Fit hatchback, it comes with the 1.5L petrol engine connected to an electric motor and lithium-ion battery while mated with Honda's ambitious but rubbish seven-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox. With this powerplant, the combined power output of the Jade is a modest 152PS, the equivalent of what most 2.0L petrol engines produced. Fuel economy, 25.0kmpl.

The Jade's fuel economy is somewhat 1.2kmpl short than its chief rival, the Toyota Prius Alpha, but don't slack off because while the Prius Alpha is focused to be a fuel-efficient MPV for the masses, the new Jade is focused to be an engaging hybrid MPV you can enjoy driving as much as you like and because it has that double clutch gearbox rather than CVT, it feels like a normal car for a stop. My only worries is the quality of the gearbox because just like what its siblings faced in the past, looks like this double-clutch gearbox doesn't last long. Who knows, there's going to be a possible glitch or failures but let's forget about it and keep our fingers crossed. Who knows, this gearbox will run smoothly as usual...I think.

With handling features such as the double wishbone rear suspension, dual pinion electronic power steering, and some special 17-inch noise reducing aluminum wheels, the new Jade feels somewhat to the okay zone I think. It may not be the most fun MPV to drive today but it's more refined, quiet, and somewhat comfortable as well. When driving carefully, it feels fine but when the going gets tough, looks like the Jade feels like it's not made for beating. I was talking about understeering issues, if you know what I mean.

Now, the new Honda Sensing safety system. First applied on the Legend flagship, this new system includes Collision Mitigation Braking, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Keeping Assist, and Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow. Sadly though, the Pedestrian Collision Mitigation Steering System on the Legend isn't present. But still, this hybrid MPV really proves that the future of car safety really is now thanks to science and common sense.

Should you buy one? The new Jade starts at a reasonably priced 2,920,000 Japanese Yen, cheaper than the 5-seater Toyota Prius Alpha so that is quite a bargain but is it worth money well spent for this hybrid MPV that is less efficient than the Prius Alpha but overall more engaging to own? The rest is up to you.

Available colors: White Orchid Pearl, Modern Steel Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, Super Platinum Metallic, Mandarin Gold Metallic, Premium Deep Rosso Pearl. and Premium Blue Opal Metallic.

Photo: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Let's Do The News! (February 11, 2015)

Welcome back. Here is your current sitrep:

- Kayla Jean Mueller, the American hostage who was held captive by the Islamic State forces has been killed by them. It's just been confirmed but the cause of death remains unknown. Mueller, age 26, was an Arizona aid worker who was captured by ISIS two years ago and last week, the ISIS claimed she was killed during the Jordanian airstrike against the said terrorist forces. US President Barack Obama confirmed that Mueller was one of the American hostages they've tried and failed to rescue last summer.

- A top US expert warns that over 20,000 foreign fighters from over 90 countries have travelled to Syria to join the Islamic State or other terrorist forces.

- NBC news anchor Brian Williams, who hosts the NBC Nightly News, was suspended for six months over his false story of the Iraq War.

- Jon Stewart, the satirical news anchor and comedian in charge of Comedy Central's The Daily Show says he will end term as host of late-night comedy show later this year. This is kinda sad news for those who've enjoyed him poking fun with public affairs every weeknights.

- The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite and the Global Precipitation Measurement core satellites saw moderate rainfall occurring in Typhoon Higos as it moved over open waters of the Northwestern Pacific ocean. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecast indicates that Higos will proceed northeast and weaken while staying over the open waters of the Pacific Ocean and well northeast of Guam.

- Over 1,300 Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor systems have been delivered to the US Army and international customers for use on the AH-64 Apache helicopters by Lockheed Martin, one of the world's top aerospace companies. The MTADS/PNVS system is a long-range forward-looking infrared system with enhanced visual resolution and this option is worth 82 million dollars and comes under a four-year performance based logistics contract it received from the Army three years ago.

- The threat of front-wheel drive Bimmers continues as BMW unveiled a longer version of last year's 2-Series Active Tourer called the 2-Series Gran Tourer, which will have its world premiere at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. It still comes with the same specs as the Active Tourer model but with optional seven seats and an enhanced length for practicality. It's more family oriented as well thanks to the new myKIDIO app.

2016 BMW 2-Series Gran Tourer

- The latest Motor Trend Head 2 Head video pits two equally competitive high-powered sportscars, the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and the Nissan GT-R NISMO to the test.

- The homemade ambulances as seen on episode 3 of the 22nd series of BBC Top Gear will be exhibited to the Beaulieu Motor Museum's World of Top Gear exhibit, joining the ranks with the other ambitious but rubbish creations made by the hosts themselves.

TTFN!!!