Let's Do The News! (October 28, 2015)

- A US defense official says that they will continue navigating their naval vessels in waters off Chinese-made islands in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. Yesterday, the US government confirmed that their destroyer passed within 12 nautical miles of the Subi Reef, one of the seven reefs reclaimed by China.

- Last Monday, a powerful M7.5 quake struck Afghanistan, killing less than 300 people and injured over 1,600, according to the Pakistani government. The quake struck not just in northern Afghanistan but also wide areas in countries including Pakistan, India, and Uzbekistan. Right now, emergency workers are conducting SAR operations in affected areas. The Taliban is also conducting SAR as well.

- According to a nationwide poll in the US, business tycoon Donald Trump has fallen from the top spot in the race for the Republican Party's presidential nomination, beaten by former neurosurgeon Ben Carson.

- According to the head of the International Olympic Committee, refugee athletes are more than welcome to take on next year's Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Until now, qualified refugee athletes weren't able to participate in Olympics because they couldn't represent their home country and its national Olympic committee, but the IOC decided to allow refugee athletes to participate and live in the Olympic Village alongside the other athletes, and march with the Olympic flag in the opening ceremony.

- Senator Grace Poe apologized the public over her perception that she dropped former Senator Ping Lacson from her senatorial slate in next year's elections.

- Rugby organizations unveiled the official logo for the 2019 World Rugby Cup in Japan.

- Tekken 7 is coming on the Playstation4 and PlaystationVR! This was announced during the Paris Games Week's PlayStation conference. Finally! Reunited with its rightful console with new and exciting ways to bring the latest installment in Bandai Namco's hard-hitting fighting franchise to everyone.

- Gran Turismo Sport is announced and it's coming to the Playstation4 with a beta access coming this 2016. GT Sport features a new step in the fastest-selling racing simulator franchise with partnership with FIA, turning this game into a competitive sport in its own right. Players can represent their home nations or represent their favorite car manufacturer.



- The title of the upcoming Sherlock special episode is titled "The Abominable Bride" and, for the first time ever, it will be aired on the same day on BBC One in the UK, and on PBS in the US, New Year's Day 2016.

TTFN!!!

007: SPECTRE

007: SPECTRE

This is by no means one of the most aggressive Bond films to date and Daniel Craig gave everything he got to show that his tenure as James Bond is on his ultimate peak in this 24th installment of Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 films.

Set in events after 2012's SKYFALL, a cryptic message sends Bond on a path to a confrontation with the sinister organization known as SPECTRE. This organization was known for threatening global stability so memorably in past Bond films like Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Thunderball, and You Only Live Twice, and for this film, viewers have a glimpse to check out the hidden world of the evil organization Bond's after. Thing is, they're nothing more of a cult bent on using the art of ethnic cleansing to rid of everything that stand in their own way...which is kinda villainous.

In addition to returning cast such as Ralph Fiennes as M, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, and Ben Whishaw as Q, SPECTRE introduces two Bond girls in the films such as Lea Seydoux and Monica Bellucci as well as Bond villains such as Christoph Waltz and former WWE superstar Dave Bautista, among many others in store. Looks like the cast is like a mixture of brains, beauties, and brawns but nothing is more so than the cars featured in the film.

Aston Martin DB10

Jaguar C-X75 Bond Concept

Back in 2002, in Pierce Brosnan's final Bond film, Die Another Day, there was an epic car chase between the Aston Martin Vanquish and the Jaguar XKR, driven by a North Korean spy Zao (Rick Yune), on a frozen lake in Iceland. Fast forward 13 years to now and the battle between the two British carmakers in the world of Bond is back and this time, in the form of two one-off machines on a nighttime chase in Rome. There was this Aston Martin made exclusively for the film, the DB10, and then the Jaguar C-X75 Concept, with some modifications suited for Dave Bautista's character in the film, Hinx. Ain't Bond cars grand? That epic car chase between the two will keep cinemagoers hanging until the part where the Aston burns the Jag. That's one thing kids might remember and doing it at home until their mama caught them and telling them to head straight to the toilets.

Anyway, the film's storyline pushes to its aggressiveness and so is Craig's because most of the classic Bond moments cinemagoers want are all blended in with some interrogation, some torture, some escape plans, some suggestive themes, and the suspense that keeps on building until the keystone pops. Although, there are some few kinks that need to be worked out, the Bond formula is all in to bring SPECTRE a burning desire to put all spy films of 2015 into shambles but not most of it.

As for the music, well, we love the opening theme "Writing's On The Wall" by Sam Smith because it sounds so dramatic as every good opening Bond theme should be but it's the BGMs in the film that some might feel pleased because it matches the tone to every scene of the film very perfectly and acoustically tuned for perfection.

SPECTRE may not be one of the best films of 2015 but it's definitely one of the best action films of the year and with all that explosive stuff going on, I'd expect that every action junkie who saw that film head back home and start making some noises similar to the film until his mama come here and send him straight to the toilets. Sorry, personal experiences, but this is definitely a must-watch Bond movie before your mama send you to the toilets.

My rating: 5 out of 5. 

FIA Formula E 2015-2016 - Beijing

The second season of the FIA Formula E kicked off in Beijing, China. Looks like the new season promises to be more exciting than ever with improved powertrains, more locations than before, new and returning teams, and many more in store for the 2015-2016 season.

At the end of the first round of this new season, Sebastien Buemi from e.dams placed first followed by ABT Schaeffler's Lucas di Grassi, who placed 2nd, and Nick Heidfeld from Mahindra, who placed 3rd.

Race highlights:



The next race is set at Putrajaya, Malaysia, on the 7th of November, 2015.

F1 2015: US GP

Image: Getty Images

It was a wet and wild action happening at Austin, Texas, probably because of the rainy weather due to the weakened Hurricane Patricia, but that rainy weather is one heck of a equalizer for the best of Formula One racers gunning to the top podium at this season's US Grand Prix.

In the end, Mercedes'  Lewis Hamilton scored ten wins for this season after placing first in the race, followed by his teammate Nico Rosberg, who placed 2nd, and Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo, who placed 3rd. Among the other racers survived and finished are Daniil Kvyat, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel (despite a ten-spot grid penalty given for using a fifth engine and dropped to 13th), Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg from Force India, Felipe Massa from Williams, Max Verstappen from Toro Rosso, Fernando Alonso from McLaren, and Romain Grosjean from Lotus.

Onto the overall standings, Hamilton's first place lead improved with 327 points followed by Vettel with 251 points and Rosberg with 247 points.

Only three races remaining for this season and the next race will be in Mexico on the 1st of November.

Report: Toyota may not sell new RAV4 to Japan at all

Japan won't be getting this latest-generation RAV4 at all...

When the fourth-generation Toyota RAV4 was sold in the world market, we have kept wondering why this latest-generation model isn't sold in Japan, even though its latest facelifted model offered a hybrid model fit for the Japanese consumers. Sadly though, looks like Japan won't be getting this latest-generation RAV4 at all because there's a report told that Toyota will stop selling the RAV4 to the Japanese market this Spring. Take note that only the third-generation RAV4 was still available in Japan as of now.

It is expected that it will be replaced by a new compact crossover derived from the C-HR Concept in a few months' time.

Report: http://www.nikkan.co.jp/news/nkx0420151027aaba.html

Let's Do The News! (October 27, 2015)

- Reports shown that a US Navy vessel begun patrolling within 12 nautical miles of artificial islands built by the People's Republic of China in the South China Sea. A USS Lassen destroyer approached within 12 miles of the Chinese-made islands in the disputed Spratly Islands on Tuesday.

- US President Barack Obama and his Indonesian counterpart, Joko Widowo, have agreed to strengthen their maritime security cooperation. It is Joko's first visit to the US since assuming office last year. The two sides confirmed they would cooperate more closely in the development of naval equipment and supply of military materials.

- The World Health Organization warns the public that the consumption of processed meat increases the risk of cancer, and red meat is also likely to cause the disease. Experts said that each 50 gram portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent, compared with those who don't consume such foods. Red meat, including beef and pork, was classified as probably carcinogenic.

- Former comedian Jimmy Morales is named as the new president of Guatemala following his electoral win in Sunday's presidential elections. Morales gained 67% of the votes, beating former first lady Sandra Torres with 33% of the votes.

- Over two thousand sheep have been led by shepherds through the streets of Madrid, the capital city of Spain, as part of an annual migration. Every year, the sheep are herded to the south of the country with warmer grazing lands.

- Actress and presenter Amy Perez was saddened over the sudden changes in TV5's entertainment department where she used to belong. Last August, TV5 reportedly undergoing major retrenchment by closing some of its departments including their entertainment department for the next few months. The network offered special voluntary separation program to employees as well. When Amy Perez used to worked with TV5, she's the presenter of shows such as Face To Face, Untold Stories Mula Sa Face To Face, Sapul Sa Singko, Ang Latest, and Good Morning Club, before she returned to ABS-CBN.

- The cast of the upcoming film, My Bebe Love, began their pictorials.

- Actress Angel Locsin confirms that ABS-CBN has chosen a new actress that will replace her on the role of one of the Philippines' legendary superheroes, Darna. Locsin is now under medication to treat the injury she has acquired in training to play the superhero.

- Over 41 million tweets about last Saturday's AlDub event are recorded! This is still a new world record for the most number of tweets at Twitter, eclipsing last year's World Cup match.

TTFN!!!

Daniel Craig's involvement in the world of James Bond

Daniel Craig

007: SPECTRE, the 24th James Bond film, from Albert R. Broccoli's EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment, might signal the end of Daniel Craig's tenure as James Bond, and despite all rumors, we enjoyed Craig's role as James Bond as well as the more topical, realistic approach to the Bond movies he's been through. To commemorate the latest Bond flick, which will hit British cinemas now and soon the rest of the world, let's jot down Daniel's involvement in the world of James Bond.

Casino Royale (2006) - This is Daniel Craig's first outing as James Bond in the film Casino Royale, based on the very first Bond book written by Ian Fleming highlighting Bond's first mission as a 00 Agent. Spanning from Madagascar, Miami, Montenegro, to Venice, Bond's mission is to track down a terrorist named Le Chiffre, played by Mads Mikkelsen (the guy who became Dr. Hannibal Lecter on TV) as he organizes a high-stake poker game at Casino Royale. Throughout his first assignment, he encounters Vesper Lynd (played by Eva Green), a member of a Financial Action Task Force who became Bond's love interest until her untimely death in Venice.

Quantum of Solace (2008) - Daniel Craig's second Bond film picks up where Casino Royale left off. Desperate to find out who blackmailed Vesper, Bond is on a race against time to unmask the organization behind it until he pinpoints an eco terrorist named Dominic Greene (played by Mathieu Amalrio) who has links to the organization Bond's after. Bond is later accompanied by a Bolivian agent named Camille Rivera (played by Olga Kurylenko) who seeks revenge against General Luis Medrano, who murdered her family in the past.

SKYFALL (2012) - Probably known to be one of the most successful Bond films to date, SKYFALL pits Bond to a race against time as he takes on a sadistic terrorist named Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem) while M (Judi Dench) tries to prove her innocence to the court following Bond's latest assignment ended in failure and the exposure of agents worldwide. This film introduces Ralph Fiennes as Mallory, the new Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee (who became the new M at the end of the film following the death of the former M in the film), Ben Whishaw as Q, and Naomie Harris as Eve (later known as Miss Moneypenny at the end). It also sees the return of the iconic Aston Martin DB5, as seen on Goldfinger.

SPECTRE (2015) - The latest Bond film evoked memories of the ruthless evil organization that had threatened global stability so memorably in past Bond films like Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Thunderball, and You Only Live Twice. In addition to returning cast such as Ralph Fiennes as M, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, and Ben Whishaw as Q, SPECTRE features a stark and powerful cast such as Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, Monica Bellucci, and former WWE superstar Dave Bautista (who will be the villain driving a Jaguar C-X75 in the film's nighttime car chase against Daniel Craig, as Bond, in an Aston Martin DB10).

Let's Do The News! (October 26, 2015)

-  About a hundred people are hurt when a high-speed ferry boat heading for Hong Kong crashed with an unknown object. Maritime authorities say that the crash occurred after 1800 hours Hong Kong Time last Sunday as it travelling near the island of Lantau west of Hong Kong carrying 163 passengers and 11 crewmembers.

- South Korea's defense ministry says its navy fired warning shots at a North Korean boat that crossed into the waters in the Yellow Sea last weekend. A North Korean patrol boat crossed the de-factor maritime border near Yeonpyeong Island and retreated back after a South Korean vessel fired five warning shots.

- The Kurdish authorities have uploaded a video of a hostage being freed from the Islamic State in Iraq on a recent joint operation with the US Special Forces. The footage was caught on cam attached on a soldier's helmet, showing US and Kurdish troops raiding the facility in the dark, rescuing the hostages.

- The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant says that they will complete the construction of underground walls to block contaminated groundwater from seeping into the sea. Construction began three years ago and these shield walls are 780 meters long and extend 30 meters underground.

- Catholic bishops called for a more merciful Church for cohabitating couples, homosexuals, the divorced, and the civilly remarried, backing Pope Francis' call for a more welcoming Catholic Church. The document adopted by the bishops emphasizes the role of discernment and individual conscience in dealing with difficult family situations, in a win for liberal bishops.

- The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas plans to mildly change the color of the common 100 peso bill in the coming months and phase out older paper bill designs. The new color of the 100 peso bill is mauve and circulation will commence at the start of 2016, enough to help the public distinguish a P100 bill from a P1,000 bill.

- The Mitsuoka Ryugi, a Toyota Corolla in a Rolls-Royce getup, has a special Yamato variant which is limited to 15 units, featuring a choice of black or white exterior paint, red seats, special 17-inch wheels, and more. Prices start from 3,412,800 to 3,823,200 Yen.

- In case you missed it, Disney announced that there's going to be a sequel to the DCOM Descendants in the works!

- Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the American electric car giant's self-driving Autopilot technology is approved for global use.

- Last Saturday's AlDub event, called Sa Tamang Panahon, gained over 39.5 million tweets, a new record!

TTFN!!!

BMW 7-Series (G11/G12)

2016 BMW 7-Series

There has been no car in the world had generated much hype as the brand-new BMW 7-Series because for this brand new generation of everyone's favorite premium full-size saloon, the new model ushered in the new age of BMW and when I said new age, I mean apart from the chassis codes which is the first BMW to bear the G-codes, hence the chassis code is classified as G11 or G12.

2016 BMW 7-Series

First, let's talk about the design because while this is mostly the evolution of the signature BMW design, I find its new look to be not bad at all, although I find its front and back design to be somewhat a mess. The side view looks crisp but when you look at all sides, there's no telling how good or how bad this new model is but everyone will still accept it with mixed reactions because no matter how it looks, this is still the car worth the wait.

2016 BMW 7-Series interior

One of the biggest strengths of the new 7-Series is its interior. In the past, most BMW interiors are all uniform, they look the same regardless of which BMW you are on, and no matter which BMW you are on, you will still be greeted by their monotonous interiors. For the new model, the traditional BMW interior has been fully evolved from the ground up and there's more because there has been numerous features up for grabs such as the world's first gesture control system where your hand gestures take control of the newly updated iDrive system. Of course, it may take some time to master the gesture control because there are some few kinks that needs to be fixed.

On the back, passengers will be greeted with the host of features such as the incredible Panoramic Sky Lounge LED roof, Rear Executive Lounge Seating Package, rear entertainment system, and a detachable 7-inch Touch Command tablet that activates climate, music, communication, lighting, and more. Now, it's getting more personal than ever, I dare say?

2016 BMW 7-Series

Underneath the new 7-Series is BMW's first ever Carbon Core frame that is lighter, stiffer, and stronger than its predecessor, resulting to much better handling, fuel economy, ride, and much more. The use of sustainable materials upon making its unique space-age frame really makes this new model a class apart from its rivals for good. As for the choice of engines, the new 7-Series is available with a 3.0L 6-cylinder turbo petrol engine, a 5.0L V8 twin turbo engine, or a 3.0L 6-cylinder turbo diesel engine. All models are mated with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. There's going to be a plug-in hybrid model for next year but we'll leave it out at a moment.

The range topping 750Li with the said motor produces 450PS of power and 650Nm of torque. It can go from 0-100kph in less than five seconds and top speed electronically limited to 250kph.

Because this is a high-tech premium saloon, there are some high-tech features fit for your driving pleasure on the new 7-Series including driver assistance system from BMW ConnectedDrive but the features that made the new 7-Series stand out is its BMW Laserlight derived from the BMW i8 and the coolest feature of all: the first-ever Remote Control Parking that can be operated via your car key.

2016 BMW 7-Series

The new BMW 7-Series starts at 81,900 up to 107,500 Euros, which sounds like a lot but less expensive than Mercedes' S-Class, making it a hard bargain for wealthy buyers, mostly business tycoons or potentia special agents from a certain organization. Anyway, looks like every car enthusiasts in the world are well and truly desperate to see one of these on the roads.

Photo: BMW AG

Doctor Who S09E06

Doctor Who S09E06

Ashildr, played by Maisie Williams, has resurfaced from another time as a masked bandit known as the Knightmare in the latest episode titled "The Woman Who Lived". In this episode, The Doctor made a fateful reunion with Ashildr while taking on a risky heist that will cost both of their lives. That heist is nothing more of an elaborate plot from an alien lion man named Leandro, the last of the Leonian race. He wants to get his amulet, which is unique to his defunct home planet, and want someone's death to activate the amulet to open the doorway to another world. That death could be none other than the execution of Sam Swift, played by Rufus Hound. Good thing, The Doctor and Ashildr managed to use another "immortality charge" to save Sam from his impending execution and in the end...the Leonians killed Leandro for his failure.

No one knows where will Ashildr pop up next until a selfie pic of Clara and her star student pinpoints where Ashildr is but there's more of Ashildr's immortality mystery for many moments to come.

NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW:

Forza Motorsport 6: The legendary Honda RA300

Now, here's a legendary grand prix machine I'm particularly keen about. The Honda RA300. Part of Forza Motorsport 6's Logitech G Car Pack, this legendary machine has a well-known legacy and commands your upmost respect.

Built in collaboration with Lola Cars, the RA300 is Honda's legendary Formula One racing machine that was introduced halfway through the 1967 season and served as the successor to the RA273.

Like the RA273, the RA300 is powered by a 3.0L V12 engine, but its chassis was designed by Lola, hence gaining the nickname "Hondola" by the motoring public. The Lola-derived chassis is lighter and better to handle than the previous one and such result recorded its first win at the Italian Grand Prix with John Surtees behind the wheel.

It is the only F1 car in Honda's history to win a Grand Prix in the first place and on the only lap it would ever lead.

I'm no fan of classic cars but this Japanese F1 machine from its glorious past feels very novel even though it was emerged at the time where all Formula One cars in the 20th century focused on speed beyond all else. When you hear the noise of its V12 engine, that sound really takes you back to the 60's and trying to master this legendary machine requires precise driving skills because since this is a 60's racing machine car, you have to focus on your senses on when to accelerate, when to brake, and when to corner. With practice, the RA300 isn't a bad classic machine to drive if you have great taste among historic racers and its heritage it carries.

I decided to give the RA300 one lap round Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which now comes with a 2014 track revision of the Grand Prix circuit which is shorter than the old 2008-2013 layout of the GP track but the final corners on this new revision requires precise driving skills if drivers want to make it out alive and race to the checkered flag. Without further ado, here goes my lap round Indianapolis in a legendary Honda F1 car.



After a lap round the 2014 revision of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Grand Prix Circuit, I have established my personal lap time of 01:33.670. Not the quickest I have done but I had fun discovering the essence of the legendary Honda RA300, the only F1 car in Honda's history to win a Grand Prix in the only lap it would ever lead.

The world is all one in #AlDubEBTamangPanahon

Photo: Official Eat Bulaga Facebook

Truly, the world is all one when everyone at the Philippine Arena, at home, at a viewing party, or abroad witnessed the biggest AlDub event of a lifetime when Alden Richards and Maine "Yaya Dub" Mendoza finally made it "Sa Tamang Panahon".

It was a star-studded cast with all the Eat Bulaga presenters as well as the Kalyeserye characters present to unleash their own brand of joy to the mass audience and it all builds up to the arrival of AlDub. Too bad no kiss occurred but that's fine by them to see these two finally close to each other having managed to survive through tons of challenges in their never-ending quest for forever. Of course, no event is too colorful without Lola Nidora, Tidora, Tinidora, Duhrizz, Rihanna, Frankie, the Rogelios, the Bernardos, and the Quandos present.

It's a dream come true to witness AlDub matured through the weeks and thanks to the viewers like you, forever truly exists.

Of course, there's one major problem we've faced at the end of the AlDub event because Lola Nidora finally grabbed the diary of secrets from those riding in tandem and she was going to rush to the Dabarkads until the background noise goes a big truck-like honk honk honk. It was a close one but this is the ultimate AlDub experience every AlDub Nation will never forget.

As of right now, over 22.2 million tweets are recorded, less than the tweets regarding AlDub's date at Lola Nidora's mansion, but it's still growing, you can count on it.

If you miss this once-in-a-lifetime AlDub event or if you want to watch it again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owqZ1tjNaW0

Anyway, with "Sa Tamang Panahon" finally in fruition, looks like the world of AlDub is about to change so keep watching Eat Bulaga for more kalyeserye antics!