Seattle's Chinatown International District Dragon Fest 2015

Last weekend, I went to Seattle's Chinatown International District to experience the sights and sounds of the Dragon Fest 2015, where the best of Asian culture come together and celebrate to the hearts and minds of Asian Americans in the Pacific Northwest. Yes, I've been there last year but because of my enjoyment of going places, I decided to go there again, for the sake of enjoyment during the long summer days in America.



More photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHskcBGaii

My Video Journal:

Let's Do The News! (July 14, 2015)

- Greek PM Alexis Tsipras is on a fight to win support from coalition partners for the third bailout offered by eurozone leaders. Four pieces of legislation must be passed by the end of Wednesday including pension and VAT reforms. However, Defense Minister Panos Kammenos already opposed the measures. If the deal fails, Greece will be forced to leave the eurozone for good.

- The Mexican authorities are offering a 60 million peso reward for the capture of Joaquin Guzman, the nation's most wanted drug lord, who escaped from a maximum security prison on Saturday through a 1.5km-long tunnel.

- Korean president Park Geun-hye ordered her senior secretaries to look further in the subject of the need of amnesty in preparation of next month's 70th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule.

- Typhoon Nangka is expected to affect the southern and eastern parts of South Korea and Jeju Island, by weekends. This typhoon is moving northwards towards Japan and it's forecasted to bring heavy rainfall and strong winds.

- Over 200 South Koreans have embarked on a very special ride on the grand transcontinental train journey known as the Eurasia Friendship Express. They're divided into two teams; one will take Trans-Siberia Railway from Vladivostok while the other will depart from Beijing and take Trans-Mongolia Railway. It's a 20-day journey where participants will travel ten cities in five different nations, and establish ties. The final stop will be at Berlin, Germany.

- The Department of Education is already investigating the food poisoning incident in the CARAGA Region. They said that the students affected from the food poisoning were given proper health care, most were fully recovered and discharged from hospitals. Meanwhile, the Department of Health stressed the importance of food safety on acquiring and intake of unknown products as 1,925 people were reportedly affected last Friday, July 10, after they ate candies.

- September 6 is officially recognized as Shigeru Matsuzaki day according to the Japan Anniversary Association. It is the day when the famed singer made his debut. If you're a fan of the Katamari Damacy games, then you'll most likely to remember him for singing one of the game series' songs.

- The death toll from the General Motors ignition switch defects rises to 124 while 390 are reportedly injured.

- At last weekend's SDCC, the BBC announced a remake of the classic British children's cartoon, Danger Mouse and now, it's targeting for international audiences as possible. Actors Alexander Armstrong, Kevin Eldon, Stephen Fry, John Oliver, and Lena Headey will lend their voices for the upcoming animated series.

TTFN!!!

Let's Do The News! (July 13, 2015)

- The Eurozone leaders have reached an agreement over a third bailout after series of talks in Brussels, meaning that the risk of Greece leaving the eurozone has been averted...for now.

- A section of a Russian military barracks has been collapsed, killing 23 soldiers near the Siberian city of Omsk, according to officials.

- Part of the walls of the Aleppo Citadel, a Syrian world heritage site, has been damaged by an explosion.

- The Philippine Army will receive 10% of the total 95 billion peso-fund from the modernization program for the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

- The families of the slain SAF 44 members received additional benefits from the government. Over 24 million pesos was distributed to the families by the Philippine National Police as they receive numerous donations for the SAF 44 received by the families from collected donations.

- Satoru Iwata, the president of Nintendo, passed away at the age of 55 because of a bile duct growth.

- Another Pokemon Center-exclusive Nendoroid is on the radar. Following Pokemon Origins' Red and Pokemon Diamond and Pearl's Champion Cynthia, N from Pokemon Black and White (Best Wishes) made his Nendoroid debut. Preorders are open at most Pokemon Centers across Japan this late July and deliveries will commence this late November 2016. What you'll get is a Nendoroid of a mysterious Pokemon trainer named N and alongside him is the legendary Pokemon Reshiram.

- The 1967 Plymouth Hurst Barracuda is this week's highlight of the Jay Leno's Garage webisode.

- Imagine if the world of Sherlock is set on a 19th-century London. Find out on this first look of the upcoming TV special of the hit BBC crime drama series!



TTFN!!!

Toyota Sienta - Second Generation

2016 Toyota Sienta

Mindful to the Japanese summer vacation, the Toyota Sienta MPV has now been regenerated after being stuck on its squarish looks for over a decade and this is the first time we expect the Sienta compact minivan to be fully changed from the ground-up but I'd expect some hot issues regarding the second-generation Sienta.

First and foremost, it's now essentially larger than its overdue predecessor and the boxy design of the previous model has been stripped off and made it more athletic similar to a jogger's running shoes or a sports bag. In essence then, the new Sienta redefines the leisure activity genre but truth be told, it became more of Japan's Fiat Doblo if I'm honest. There are couple of issues too aside from its design which looks like a distortion because for this new model, the Sienta emblem from the first one has been removed and replaced with the Toyota emblem on the front just to make it more sensible and a bit crazy.

2016 Toyota Sienta interior

2016 Toyota Sienta interior

Because it's so big, the Sienta's newly found status as a Leisure Activity vehicle never forgets the practicality term and for a seven-seater minivan, it isn't half bad at all but there are a couple of drawbacks because with seven seats present, there's no space to fill in your monthly groceries, much like the case of the Honda Jade when all three rows are present, and when you folded the third row seats, you've sacrifice the extra seats for some space so...that's a bad point for the new model there. On the driver's view, it's like a mashup between the Prius and its bigger minivans like the Noah and the Voxy.

On petrol models, the Sienta comes with Toyota's brand new 1.5L 2NR-FKE VVT-iE engine, the same that you expect from the recently-facelifted Corolla range. This new engine is one of Toyota's high-thermal efficiency engines that will launch by the end of this year. It uses the same framework as the Vitz's 1NR-FKE engine but with a longer piston stroke as well as increased diameters on the inlet and exhaust pipes. Couple that with the idling stop feature and the Super CVT-i gearbox and the fuel economy is expected to be up to 20.6km/L. That's 3.4km/L more than the old Sienta's.

However, there's a new hybrid model for the Sienta, and it's for those who are not in a hurry for anything. With the 1NZ-FXE engine mated with a 45kW electric motor and a traditional nickel metal hydride batter, total power output is a measly 100PS and thanks to the CVT gearbox, fuel economy is up to 27.2km/L.

Handling wise, the Sienta isn't what you call sporty but it's well civilized and uncomplicated for first-timers thanks to its rack and pinon steering, MacPherson strut and coil springs in the front suspension and a rear torsion beam for the rear suspension (FF only, 4WD models get rear double wishbones). It's a great car to handle but for a concept, it's a tad old-fashioned.

In terms of safety, the new Sienta is available with the brand new Toyota Safety Sense C package and because Toyota is now balancing the things that are fun with the things that are safe with great responsibility, this new package consists of Pre-Collision System uses a camera and a laser radar to scan incoming vehicles on the driver's twelves, the Lane Departure Alert uses a camera to detect white and yellow lane markings, and lastly, the Automatic High Beam detects oncoming vehicle's headlights and the taillights of cars in front, allowing its headlamps to be automatically switched between high beam and low beam.

2016 Toyota Sienta

The new Sienta starts at 1,689,709 up to 2,329,855 Yen and when targeted against the Honda Freed, this new Sienta makes it a great value for money and this is something what Leisure Lifestyle Enthusiasts are looking forward to if they're know what they're thinking.

Available colors: Super White II, White Pearl Crystal Shine, Silver Metallic, Black Mica, Red Mica Metallic, Vintage Brown Pearl Crystal Shine, Air Yellow, Green Mica Metallic, and Blue Metallic.

Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation

#BubbleGang - July 10, 2015

On the July 10, 2015 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Face it, the internet knows the truth. The internet really knows the evidences.

- Cellphone load gags

- Istambay, Istambay sa Looban, Tungkol sa Swerte at Kamalasan, Ang Topic ng Kwento ay Kantahan, Tutok na Para Inyong...MALAMAN!

- Soaperman and Batnaman face off against a supervillain!

- IKAW AT ANG INA takes on...disappointed posts!

- More advice giving from Tata Lino!

- This guy gets bullied by everyone!

- Too much to list for the old couple in the hopes of not forgetting it.

- Breaking up is a lot harder to explain to your bae.

- The Adventures of Redford Jr. and Babaless in...Wanted: Helper

Wanted: Helper

- Tsugi o Churva!

Let's Do The News! (July 10, 2015)

- The new Greek proposals on securing a vital third bailout described by the Eurogroup as "thorough" and according to Eurogroup leader Jeroen Dijsselbloem, a "major decision" could now be made at a eurozone finance meeting on Saturday. These new proposals could help ease the Greek debt crisis and prevent Greece from leaving the Eurozone.

- Five airports in Indonesia had been closed, including those in Bali, because of Mount Raung in East Java has been erupted with volcanic ash into the air for nearly a week, disrupting aircraft visibility.

- The Department of National Defense's plans on acquiring a shore-based missile system for the Armed Forces of the Philippines has been part of AFP's modernization program but both sides have agreed not to prioritize it but instead, the Philippine Army realigned its defense budget on buying more equipment for the soldiers.

- Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao held a prayer session in an Indonesian prison with a Filipina on death row for drug trafficking, named Mary Jane Veloso, who was reprieved last April and allowed officials to ask the Indonesian leader Joko Widodo to give her evidence in an investigation into the network accused of recruiting her.

- Ford Motor Company announced that production of the Focus sedan and hatchback as well as its C-MAX hybrid MPV equivalent in the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, MI, will cease after fiscal year 2018.

- In honor of its 76th year, DZRH, the first radio station in the Philippines, will hold its Makabagoing Bayanihan medical mission on the 11th of July from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM in key parts of Metro Manila.

- The first look on the upcoming Doctor Who Series 9 is on and expect bigger thrills for the 12th Doctor's return. Time to put on your shades, ladies and gents, because it's explosive in every angle! The 9th series of Doctor Who airs on BBC One this 19th of September.

TTFN!!!

A visit to the new Round 1 Southcenter branch

Now, there's something new opened at the west side of the Westfield South Center and what this is is an amusement center that most longtime visitors been longing for so long now and now, it's here and it's the one they've been waiting for; an amusement corner located in the west side of the Westfield South Center.

This is the South Center branch of Round 1 USA, the US subsidiary of Japan's bowling and amusement chain Round 1, and this is my first time entering this newly opened branch. If you parked near JCPenney or Seafood City, you'll gonna have to walk through the long way to find this branch located at the west side of the Westfield South Center. Since this is newly opened, some improvements have been made to keep the guests happy but first...

The opening times are different to what Westfield South Center's does because this branch opens everyday from 10:00 to 02:00. That's 10:00AM to 2:00 AM if you set it on the 12-hour format. By midnight, they don't allow minors under the age of 20 unless accompanied by a parent or a guardian. That's the rule, but anyway, let's go inside because I am dying to find out what's in store for South Center's Round 1.

This is unlike any other amusement chain I've ever been and there's a huge selection of arcade games in store for the visitors. There are shooting games, rhythm games, they even have prize stands where they can get some prizes, if they're lucky.

In typical Round 1 fashion, there's even a bowling alley for those who love to play bowling with their mates.

There's some karaoke rooms where friends and family can enjoy singing to their favorite songs of their choosing.

I remember thinking back when I'm beating Time Crisis 4, I once said that a mad game maker like Bandai Namco couldn't make games like these anymore but I was wrong because there is such thing as Time Crisis 5 at all. It's the first Time Crisis game that runs on Unreal Engine, same as Tekken 7, and while it retains the same Time Crisis formula, it features the brand new Double Pedal System where you can go left or right to shoot down covering enemies or cover from enemy fire. Welcome everyone to the most exhilarating installment of the Time Crisis series. I really want to play this latest installment but not now. I'll try it later on a later date.

As I ventured through the arcade stands in the new Round 1 South Center branch, I have found the cherry of the cake. It's Taiko no Tatsujin but this is the old Taiko no Tatsujin 14 I've encountered on Round 1. While it maybe as outdated as my iPod Touch, it sounds like it could be a gem.

The reason why it sounds like it could be a gem because this particular Taiko no Tatsujin not only offers a selection of anime theme songs, J-POP hits, and original songs, but also video game songs. What tickles my fancy that this Taiko no Tatsujin game had songs from, you've guessed it, THE IDOLM@STER, but aside from that, it has two Ridge Racer songs, and there's a song heard from ACE COMBAT JOINT ASSAULT called "In The Zone".

Playing Taiko no Tatsujin is so intense! You have to be so super-focused when it comes to playing this game before your hands get tired from all the drum-beating. I guess this is somewhat what life is for my certain buddy behind the sticks. Yes, I had a buddy from Arizona who loves IDOLM@STER, and she really enjoyed playing this game only when the song she chose was IDOLM@STER-related. I'm not on the same level as hers but I am really learning how to play that Taiko no Tatsujin game and play until my arms got tired...or one of my hands got a blister anyway. This is just fantastic.

So, producers of the Northwest, you have finally met your match. Looks like you've finally found a place to enjoy and what no better way to enjoy your P life than playing Taiko no Tatsujin while enjoying the songs from THE IDOLM@STER series. Useful bit of science, though.

I love going back to Round 1 but what I love most about going to Round 1 is playing that damn fantastic Taiko no Tatsujin game or if I had time, I can visit my family to take some time out from their daily lives. I can invite them to some karaoke sessions or bowling sessions but the one thing I don't want from them is using my Club Card's remaining tokens on some UFO catchers containing hard-to-get objects such as plushies.

Opel Karl/Vauxhall Viva

2016 Opel Karl

2016 Vauxhall Viva

The latest city cars in General Motors' European division, the Opel Karl and its British equivalent, the Vauxhall Viva, are more than just serving as a replacement for the old Agila city car but these new city cars will satisfy first-time drivers who got themselves a driver's license in the first place and start finding their first car to work with at very reasonable prices.

Sure, they maybe targeted for European audiences in mind but what makes us as bizarre as the curly haired man who talks about aliens from a certain show is these cars are both built in South Korea and they're based on the next Chevy Spark, which sadly, it won't be coming to the European mainland for good due to Chevrolet's withdrawal from the European market. Perhaps no wonder why GM Europe decided to use the Karl and the Viva as the supplement for the Chevy Spark's European demise much in the same case when their next-generation Astra will supplant where the Chevy Cruze left off. Of course, the next Cruze will not be coming to Europe at all.

2016 Vauxhall Viva interior

2016 Opel Karl interior

So, what's it all about these new city cars made for European first-timers in mind? For starters, the design may not be bad for a city car but it looks as cheap as its introductory price of 9,500 Euros (7,995 Pounds in the UK). On the inside, that's a total contrast to its cheap exterior looks because if you gone for the top-spec models, you get a nifty sat-nav system but whatever you do, don't even bother bringing your CDs because in the Viva, you can't find a CD player. It's just USB and Bluetooth connectivity made to play your digital files and this is just another one of the cruel ways why there are some cars of the future don't bother putting CD players and instead gone for the limp-wristed USB and Bluetooth connectivity because it's more convenient. It's a shocking grim vision that within the next two years, all new cars will not have CD players at all.

Anyway, while we wist away over its audio system that has no meaning of equality over music mediums, the Karl/Viva feels like a normal car for that size and with seating up to five people, it's a great car if you want to have a day out with your mates. The spacing's not so bad but it still needs room for improvement though because being a car made for first-timers, it needs to adapt situations where typical first-timers tend to go through such as garage sales, shopping malls, groceries, and so on.

2016 Opel Karl

2016 Vauxhall Viva

Since this is built to be a city car in the first place, the Opel Karl/Vauxhall Viva has to be like one and it has a one-litre ECOFLEX engine with up to 75HP of power and 99g/km of CO2 emissions mated with a 5-speed gearbox. That doesn't feel as quick by today's standards but it feels so nippy and lively for a small car and when you engage it to CITY MODE, the Karl/Viva feels so easy to handle as carrying a tote bag on your way to school. Although not sporty, it's somewhat a bit fun to drive and very civilized as well. Safety wise, the Karl/Viva has a lot of safety features for a small car like the rear park assist technology, hill-start assist, lane-departure, cruise control, speed limiter, and more. This is a great car to start with if you're new into the driving scene.

So, what's to like about the Karl/Viva? Its price, its mobility, its small car performance, and it's a great car to start with. What's not to like about these cars are its sat-nav system because it doesn't have a CD player, its cheap looks, its small boot that needs refining, and there are some things that needs a little work to keep the Karl/Viva competitive with the rivals.

Photo: General Motors Europe

Let's Do The News! (July 9, 2015)

- Greece has until the end of Thursday to present new proposals to the European Union to secure a third bailout from creditors and prevent a possible exit from the eurozone.

- According to the United Nations, over four million people escaped from Syria to avoid the conflict in their country.

- Typhoon Chan-Hom (known as Falcon in the Philippines) is moving northwest toward Okinawa, Japan, and as of Thursday night, it was 230km south of Naha, the southwestern prefecture's capital.

- The Japanese Lower House has passed a bill that bans the flight of unmanned drones over key facilities and would regulate the flight of drones as well as manned vehicles such as paragliders and hang-gliders.

- Investigations shown that the capsized M/B Kim Nirvana vessel in Ormoc, Leyte, which killed 62 passengers, was deemed misloaded and not overloaded.

- As moviegoers prepare for the 2016 reboot of the Ghostbusters films featuring an all-female lead cast, the director of the upcoming reboot has featured the new Ecto-1 made for the film.

- Raiden from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty gets his own Nendoroid version from Good Smile Company. Available this November for 4,630 Yen (plus tax), MGS fans can take home this protagonist and arm him with weapons. You can even hide him on a cardboard box as well!

- Actor Jao Mapa returns to his showbiz career, saying that he's back in showbiz for good.

- Toto Villareal, the chairman of the MTRCB, reiterates tall order against the executives for the Pinoy Big Brother 737 show to ensure child protection in TV content.

TTFN!!!

Toyota Pixis Mega

2016 Toyota Pixis Mega

2016 Toyota Pixis Mega interior

This is the latest entry to Toyota's Pixis kei car range, the Pixis Mega, and if that reminds you of any, this is essentially a Toyota version of Daihatsu's tallest kei car offered on the market, the Wake.

Just like the Daihatsu Wake it's based from, the Pixis Mega is a tall kei car built for leisure activity in mind. It offers several options, which fits their lifestyle, in the form of a two-stage adjustable deck board with fixed hooks, utility hook, luggage compartment floor hook, and many others. Because this is the tallest of Toyota's Pixis kei-car range, the Pixis Mega is a lot roomier than any other kei car offered.

Under the bonnet, the Pixis Mega comes with a very fuel-efficient 660cc KF engine, which delivers 25.4km/L of fuel economy. The steering is rack and pinion, has MacPherson struts on the front, torsion beam at the back (for FWD models because 4WD models come with three-link), it still work as a city car and you can have as much fun as you want. For safety purposes, it's loaded with Smart Assist, Vehicle Stability Control, and TRC. In case of what's what, Smart Assist comes with low-speed range collision avoidance support brake function, false start suppression control function, and preceding vehicle start notification function.

Prices start at 1,350,000 to 1,873,800 Yen and it's available at most Toyota dealerships across Japan.

Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation

Let's Do The News! (July 8, 2015)

- Back to the Greek debt crisis, the EU has been given Greece until Thursday to present new proposals to secure a deal with the creditors and has called a full EU summit for Sunday.

- US President Barack Obama held historic talks with Vietnam's Communist Party leader, Nguyen Phu Trong, at the White House. This is the first time the two nations held talks ever since their relationships normalized 20 years ago after the Vietnam War.

- The deadline for the Iran nuclear talks has been extended until Friday after they faild to reach an agreement in their Vienna meeting.

- Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is facing graft allegations by the judicial authorities after the Wall Street Journal reported that about 700 million dollars had been transferred from the fund to Najib's bank accounts ahead of a general election two years ago.

- Typhoon Falcon has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility last night and is seen to enhance the "habagat". Luzon will experience monsoon rains which may trigger flash floods and landslides over Mindoro, Palawan, Zambales, and Bataan, while Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera, and Western Visayas are expected to experience light to moderate rains and thunderstorms. It is expected to leave the PAR by Thursday night or Friday morning.

- The BAC Mono has been given a power boost for the 2016 model year thanks to its new 2.5L Mountune engine that produces 25 more horsepower than the 2.3L Cosworth engine. The power-to-weight ratio is now 526bhp-per-tonne! Mamma mia!

- Two months after the megafight that defeated Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was stripped off his WBO belt he won from Pacquiao when he failed to pay the $200,000 sanction fee required by the organization. This means that the belt is now belonged to Timothy Bradley, who defeated Jessie Vargas last month for the interim championship.

- Prepare for the return of THE iDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS with a new trailer!

- Julia Louise Buencamino, the daughter of Nonie and Shamaine Buencamino and one of the co-stars of ABS-CBN's religious morning TV drama show Oh My G!, commits suicide by hanging from the ceiling by their household help last night. In the show, Julia played the role of Aimee, the bestie of the show's heroine, Sophie Cepeda, played by Janella Salvador.

- A billboard featuring TV presenter and comedian Vice Ganda was taken down in Cebu City for being "sexually suggestive". These billboards were promoting his concert titled "Gandang Ganda Sa Sarili sa Cebu (Eh Di Wow)", held at the Pacific Grand Ballroom of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel this Thursday, July 9th.

TTFN!!!

Let's Do The News! (July 7, 2015)

- In the aftermath of the NO vote against the EU's austerity measures, Greek PM Alexis Tsipras is expected to unveil new proposals at a Eurozone emergency summit which includes a demand for Greece's debt to be cut by up to 30%. Athens has been urged to make serious proposals as it faces the risk of default on its 213 billion euro debt.

- Ten years ago, there was a series of terrorist attacks on the London Underground; 26 killed at Russel Square on the Piccadilly line, six at Edgware Road, and seven at Aldgate. Today marks the 10th anniversary of the London bombings as a service will take place at St. Paul's Cathedral to remember the 52 people died in attacks led by al-Qaeda-linked suicide bombers. A minute's silence will be held during the service and on London's transport network at 1130 hours, London Time.

- Sakari Momoi, the world's oldest man according to Guinness World Records, has died at the age of 112 due to chronic kidney failure.

- The Kyushu Electric Power Company, the operator of the Sendai nuclear plant, plans to start loading fuel into one of the reactors on Tuesday in preparation of restarting operations.

- The National Food Authority asked consumers to bring a fake rice to the office if they spotted one in exchange of a normal one. Officials said that fake rice uses a same chemical used in plastics and many other products and are harmful to the human digestive and reproductive system.

- Construction of all-gender restrooms in some airports in the Philippines will commence this month as part of the government's recognition to gender awareness development program. What does this mean? It means all males and females will be sharing the same restrooms!

- The Renault Talisman flagship saloon has been unveiled. Served as the replacement for the Laguna and Latitude, the new Talisman uses the same platform as the new Espace and comes with the choice of four-cylinder engines and three diesel engines. Sales commence at the end of 2015.

2016 Renault Talisman

- The IGN Car Pack on Forza Horizon 2 for the XBOX One console has arrived and it features cars like the Nissan Juke NISMO RS, Audi S1, Aston Martin V12 Vantage S, Lotus Evora S, Ferrari 575M, and the Plymouth GTX. Available for $5.

TTFN!!!