Let's Do The News! (March 9, 2016)

- Parts of Southeast Asia have experienced a partial or total solar eclipse, which is the only total eclipse of the sun this year. The eclipse lasted for a few minutes and it occurred at different times at different spots along the path of totality. It was first appeared at around 0015 GMT at the western end of the path and it petered out in the eastern Pacific at 0338 GMT. A total solar eclipse is what happens when the moon, in its new phase, passes directly in front of the sun from an observer's perspective.

- One of the petitioners behind the disqualification case against Senator Grace Poe said he will file a motion for reconsideration and present new grounds against the senator who was recently been granted by the Supreme Court to take part in the May 2016 elections. Former dean of the University of the East College of Law, Amado Valdez, said he will attempt to reverse the SC ruling allowing Poe to run as president, stating that Poe's violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, which both described as strong grounds.

- Former Philippine Stock Exchange employee Jay Penaflor was labeled by the National Bureau of Investigation as the Philippine equivalent of "The Wolf of Wall Street", enticed stock market investors to invest in big corporations, promising them high returns. According to sources, Penaflor may be the biggest market investment scam operator through the years with an estimated 100 million to 300 million pesos in funds taken from several investors.

- Once again, the United States reassume that there will be no dialogue with North Korea until the reclusive state takes steps toward denuclearization. According to the US's top nuclear envoy, Washington's NoKor policy remains the same and there is no secret dealing with China that South Korea is not aware of. His comments came amid speculation that Beijing had proposed a two-track approach of pursuing North Korea's denuclearization and peace talks simultaneously and the impending five-party talks excluding North Korea.

- The Japanese court has issued an injunction to suspend operations of two nuclear reactors at the Takahama plant in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, the first time such injunction for reactors currently in operation. 29 residents from the Shiga prefecture sought an injunction last year demanding that the plant's operator keep the third and fourth reactors offline, claiming they're unsafe and risk of major accidents.

- Following Maria Sharapova, there are some of Russia's top athletes have tested positive for the banned drug meldonium. Russian state media reported that short-track speed skater Semion Elistratov, 5-time world champion speed skater Pavel Kulizhnikov, and men's volleyball player Alexander Markin  have failed the drug test and tested positive for the banned drug. The lower house of the Russia's State Duma will convene an emergency sports committee meeting on Thursday to discuss the issue.

- Porsche and other sponsors revoked their partnership with Maria Sharapova following the shocking revelation about her tested positive for a banned drug ahead of the Australian Open.

- Japanese electronics company NEC plans to test out their early earthquake warning devices in Taiwan with the aim to win their first overseas contract for their equipment.

- Remember Erika Toda? The actress who played Misa Amane from the Death Note films ten years ago? Guess what? She's back to reprise the role in the brand new successor film, which honors the tenth anniversary of the live action Death Note films.

- In case you missed the recent Eat Bulaga kalyeserye, with Yaya Dub back in the picture after what happened yesterday, she and the lolas received a letter from Yaya Dub's stepmother, Madame Caitlyn Smash, better known as Dudang. The letter invites them to her mansion, although no specific timeline was given. Question is when? What is Dudang's mansion look like? Could this be the lolas' personal idea of hell just to rid of Yaya Dub? Tune in next time and find out!

TTFN!!!

Forza Motorsport 6: The Awesome Porsche 918

The star attraction of the Forza Motorsport 6 Porsche Expansion pack is none other than the pinnacle of Porsche's engineering excellence; the 918 Spyder. With the 918 Spyder here, the dream of having the Hybrid Hypercar Holy Trinity consisting of this, the P1, and the LaFerrari, can finally be settled once and for all. But first, I want to talk about the 918 and to find out, I want to recreate a Top Gear moment that Richard Hammond tried the 918 round the Yas Marina Circuit in nighttime.



Like the McLaren P1 I tried a few moments ago, the Porsche 918 features a combination of a 4.6L V8 engine which produces 612HP of power by itself, two electric motors bolted on the axles, and a 6.8kWh Li-ion battery. The electric motors deliver around 500lb-ft of torque at 8000rpm, a torque that a Ferrari 458 deemed impossible.

Compared against the McLaren P1, the 918 is a tad 7mph slower than the P1's 218mph top speed but the 0-60mph time is what the 918 got its Ace of Spades. 2.6 seconds to the P1's 2.8 seconds, courtesy of the 4WD drivetrain and its incredible torque. With those stats, both the P1 and the 918 will keep fighting and fighting. It's Love Live's Sunny Day Song against THE IDOLM@STER's M@STERPIECE.



Time for some interesting facts about the 918 and it features some cool stuff that the P1's feeling jealous at. It comes with regenerative braking which can retrieve energy generated by braking and feed it back into the batteries. Since this is labeled as a "Spyder", the roof can be removed for open-top cruising, and on the interior, there are concessions of comfort that the P1 doesn't have, including the center console, touch-screen, and glovebox.

Aside from that, the 918 features four driving modes. In E-Power mode, its battery-only mileage is around 18 miles compared to the P1's 7 miles. Then, when switched to hybrid, the petrol and the electric battery can be alternated on various driving conditions. When switched to Sport mode, only the V8 engine kicks in. Now, onto Race mode and talking about this feature is tad boring, let's find out just how good the 918 is when all the power from both sides kicked in.



It's no surprising the 918 lapped round the Nurburgring faster than every other car in the world and thanks to its clever four-wheel drive system and the extensive use of lightweight materials, all that Porsche motorsport DNA is implied in this civilized, grown-up, hypercar and despite being well-mannered and well-behaved than the P1, the dynamics are surprisingly accessible even for a 4WD hypercar.



Think about this, a Weissach Package-spec 918 Spyder, noteworthy with a unique livery and 60kg weight drop, lapped round the Nurburgring of less than 6:57, making it the fastest series production street-legal car to break the seven minute barrier. In context; a Lexus LFA Nurburgring Package did it in 7 minutes and 14 seconds while the Nissan GT-R did it half a second slower. For the P1, McLaren claimed it made it through the sub-7 minute mark but they're not saying an actual time.



Like what Richard Hammond felt during his Top Gear years, the 918 may not be as powerful as the P1 but its dynamics will really upset the McLaren P1 and once I'm done evaluating with the LaFerrari later on, I can finally settle the Hybrid Hypercar trio round the Top Gear track and see if one of these hybrids seal their fate on the failed attempt to rename Jeremy Clarkson into Jennifer until their inevitable demise in the world of Top Gear.

For now, you can settle one yourself by trying the awesome 918 Spyder on the Forza Motorsport 6 Porsche Expansion pack, available now.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Kim Jong Un says country has small nukes

The Korean News Central Agency says that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met his nuclear scientists for a briefing and declared he was amazed that the nuclear warheads are small enough to fit into ballistic missiles.

Based on the report, the North Korean leader told the scientists that the stronger the country's nuclear strike capability, the more effective it will be as a deterrent to aggression.

Pyongyang has previously claimed it has nuclear warheads small enough to fit into long-range missiles but experts have questioned such claims. They've warned last Monday of pre-emptive strikes following the US-South Korean joint military exercises that commenced on that day and will last until the end of April.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula remained high following NoKor's nuclear test and rocket launch, which prompted the UN to adopt tough new sanctions.

Report: The Philippine Star

Let's Do The News! (March 8, 2016)

- The Supreme Court ruling allowed Senator Grace Poe to be part of the presidential race for the May 2016 elections. Poe's allies praised the latest ruling of the Supreme Court to allow the senator to join the presidential race. Poe's running mate, Senator Chiz Escudero said the high tribunal once again sided with the Constitution in favoring the petition of Poe.

- The Chinese Foreign Minister took a hardline on the nation's claims to virtually all the South China Sea, saying it won't budge on their sovereignty. According to him, another nation's claim to freedom of navigation in the region does not give it the right to do whatever it wants.

- A US-led airstrike in Somalia on a training camp of the Islamic extremist group Al-Shabab has killed about 150 militants. Al-Shabab is linked to international terrorist organization Al-Qaeda.

- North Korea hacked into South Korean officials' smartphones to steal information, according to the South Korean intelligence agency. The officials of the National Intelligence Service said in a cyber security meeting that the officials' phones were hacked and infected by a virus. This could be the latest in the series by the North, which had sent viruses into the systems of South Korean financial institutions and TV networks.

- Tennis superstar Maria Sharapova said she failed a drugs test at the Australian Open in January. She said she was not aware that a medication was taking a contained a banned substance. The former tennis champion said she didn't know the medicine she took for the past 10 years included a substance that was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency this year.

- BMW celebrates their 100th anniversary with the unveiling of the Vision Next 100 Concept, a concept car highlights the next 100 years of automobiles.

BMW Vision Next 100 Concept

- The VW Golf GTi doesn't get even more track focused than this with the unveiling of the race-prepped GTi TCR.

VW Golf GTi TCR

- Actress Cristine Reyes broke silence about the sudden resignation of Vivian Velez from the TV drama Tubig at Langis.

TTFN!!!

A weekend with my sister's Korean crossover

Last weekend is something I worth remember for because I was given a chance to be inside my sister's new car for the first time and I never felt so happy to be part of this day out with me and my family in a Korean crossover I'm particularly fond of.

This Korean crossover I'm talking about is none other than the Kia Sorento, on its third-generation. Yes, I am sorta familiar with this generation but this third-generation Sorento is somewhat different to what is offered in South Korea because this particular Sorento is basically a US-spec version and it is offered with petrol engines exclusively on this market.

The one my sister had is a basic-entry LX model and under the hood is 2.4L GDi DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine, which produces 185HP of power and 178 lb-ft of torque with an EPA estimated mileage of 29 MPG highway, mated with a 6-speed automatic gearbox. Apart from that, the features of this model my sister Elise got are rear-view monitor, USB/AUX connectivity, aircon, radio, climate control with heating/cooling functions on the interior, some stuff I know, but anyway, no time to jot down what's what because my sister got this car as a birthday present from our brother-in-law.

According to Kia, the LX model of the Sorento costs 26,400 Dollars but I'm not sure how did they manage to finance on this car or how much will they pay annually since there are some theories I'm proposing; is it by lease? Easy finance? Jury's out but I'm not sure how long will this new car will last with my sister's family onboard now that she's got two kids.

The key to my sister's crossover. Never mind the keychain I've bolted to it because it looks so cute when I strap it on. Anyway, what I'm going to do is sit back and whistle while my sister drives her new crossover utility vehicle that we're on it.

Apologies for some idol trash listening on my sister's car audio but all I can say that the USB connectivity on her car does work. In fact, she doesn't even bothered by all those idol trash I'm listening to.

Anyway, we stopped by at Westfield Southcenter for some obvious stuff we're doing such as shopping, eating, and in the case of me, spending a few minutes at the arcade. Round 1, to be precise. While there, I finished shopping for some stuff that I'll be needing at this month's convention happening within a few weeks...probably during this month's Holy Week to be precise.

With the day at the Westfield Southcenter truly finished, we went back home and during the trip back home, I was surprised by just how comfy the new Sorento is and I feel like I want to be in this car as long as I please, if my sister wishes to do so.

On the next day...

Me and my family are using this new car once again, only this time, we're going to the Clarion Hotel, the place we often used for special occasions (and made me bored easily) for the 64th wedding anniversary of our grandparents.

We arrived at the Clarion Hotel for the very occasion but I guess I should fast forward back home so I can tell just how good this car is.

In my evaluation, I have to say it performs better than the previous cars we had; be it a saloon that my Dad often used to go to work or shopping at places like the Salvation Army or Bartell Drugs or the minivan my sister's family used for their family bonding purposes, and even if I'm in the very position I may find it uncomfortable, like the front seat I'm sitting on has been raised to accommodate baby boy's legroom, the ride still compensates very well.

Well, I have to thank my big sis for letting me riding on this new Korean crossover and by upholding my promise to her, I had a little parting gift just for her.

I hope you like my parting gift. It's a keychain of THE IDOLM@STER's Miki Hoshii, donned in her 10th anniversary costume, although this costume never seen the light of day from last year's 10th anniversary concert of THE IDOLM@STER due to the fact that Miki Hoshii's seiyuu didn't make it alongside Ritsuko's and Yayoi's. I hope this will serve as a token of my gratitude to her after letting me having a ride on her new Kia.

Let's Do The News! (March 7, 2016)

- According to the Bureau of Investigation, the ousted Iglesia Ni Cristo minister Lowell Menorca II and his family left the country last night following reported death threats. Reports confirmed that Menorca's wife, Jinky, and their daughter flew to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, at 2245 hours local time. The confirmation was made following the disappearance of Menorca himself when his legal counsel, appeared before the Court of Appeals notifying the court that the former minister was last reached 2000 hours on Sunday and was not contacted since.

- An American woman who stayed in the Philippines for four weeks earlier this year was diagnosed with the Zika virus upon her return to the United States, according to the Department of Health. According to DOH Secretary Janette Garin, the foreigner who visited the Philippines last January was later confirmed positive for the virus. The patient was not pregnant when she contracted the virus.

- The decision to allow the North Korean vessel M/V Jin Teng to leave the Port of Subic in Zambales is up to the Department of Foreign Affairs and the settlement of importation issues by the Bureau of Customs according to the Philippine Coast Guard. Last week, the North Korean vessel was inspected but no suspicious objects were found. This vessel was detained under UNSC resolution, which listed the ship as a potential carrier of WMDs.

- On the race for the US Presidential Nominations, Republican Senator Ted Cruz scored two victories in the Kansas and Maine caucuses, showing his enduring appeal to catch up against leading Republican frontrunner Donald Trump. In the Democratic side, frontrunner Hillary Clinton added Louisiana in the list of states she won while Bernie Sanders got two; one for Nebraska and one for Kansas. Despite the recent win from Sanders, he's still got a long way to catch up against Clinton.

- Two years have passed since the disappearance of the Malaysian Airlines MH370 and the families of the victims are calling for a continued search and full investigation. In the 8th of March, 2014, Flight MH370 with 239 passengers and crew aboard went missing while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

- Toyota Motor Corporation goes woody with their Setsuna Concept, to be displayed at next month's Milan Design Week. Built without using nails or screws, this concept features Japanese cedar for the exterior panels and Japanese birch for the frame. The seats and the floor are also made of wood as well.

Toyota Setsuna Concept

- Also, reports state that the next Toyota Corolla, due in 2019, will have a hybrid with 4WD system similar to the latest-generation Prius.

- Big announcements from Disney XD! First and foremost, the comedy series Kirby Buckets got renewed for its third season and fans were so excited for more adventures of the kid artist who gets through multiple scenarios with his animated illustrations. Also, they've announced two new cartoon shows coming to Disney XD such as Billy Dilley's Super-Duper Subterranean Summer, and Country Club.

- In case you missed the recent Eat Bulaga Kalyeserye, Yaya Dub's stepmother, Dudang or Ms. Caitlyn returns to Broadway and she said there's a proposition for Yaya Dub but what is it? Tune in next time and find out.

- Actress Vivian Velez resigns irrevocably from ABS-CBN's TV drama Tubig at Langis due to Cristine Reyes.

- Filmmaker Quark Henares blamed "horrible working hours and conditions" on TV the death of numerous famed directors such as Wenn Deramas, Francis Pasion, and Gilbert Perez.

TTFN!!!

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Largest US-SoKor joint drill commences

The largest joint military drill commissioned by the United States and South Korea has commenced in the wake of North Korea's fourth nuclear test and the recent launch, which believed to be an ICBM.

About 290,000 South Korean troops and some 15,000 US troops are taking part of the drill, which runs until the end of April.

The US military is sending a carrier and F-22 stealth fighter jets to the drill. This year's drill will be more close to an actual battle as usual. It includes intensive training, such as marines coming ashore from the sea, and practice of advancing inland in North Korea. There are also map exercises on command and control alignment.

The Korean Peninsula condemns the latest US-SoKor joint drill and most of the North Korean military have shifted to their pre-emptive attack phase. Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reported that his country will ready their nuclear weapons by all means necessary.

Source: NHK World

Happy Birthday Maine!

The folks at GMA's Eat Bulaga have celebrated the 21st birthday of everyone's favorite Dabarkad, Maine Mendoza, better known as Yaya Dub.

It was the biggest birthday bash ever thrown in honor of the Dabarkad that became a phenom in the show's Kalyeserye segment. The presenters, the lolas of Kalyeserye, even Alden Richards are present in the party as well as everyone around her.

In the middle of the party, Alden gave Yaya Dub some presents; a pendant, some pet birds, a drawing, a notebook, and a present so secret, we really don't know what that is.

What's even more surprising is a split second kiss for AlDub that is too fast for our eyes to see but it was worth it.

Happy Birthday Maine!

Photo: Eat Bulaga Facebook Page

Stars of 2016 Geneva Motor Show

2017 Bugatti Chiron

The 2016 Geneva International Motor Show is going on now until the 13th of March, 2016, and the list of debutantes, minor changes, full model changes, even concept cars, are in store for the visitors ahead. So, let's meet up the stars of this year's Geneva Motor Show.

2016 AC Schnitzer ACL2 Concept

2016 Alfa Romeo Disco Volante Spyder Touring

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulietta

2017 Alfa Romeo MiTo

2017 Aston Martin DB11

2017 Audi Q2

2017 Audi RS Q3 performance

2017 BMW M760Li xDrive

2017 Bentley Flying Spur V8 S

2017 Bentley Mulsanne

2017 Bentley Mulsanne EWB

2017 Bentley Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner

2017 Bentley Mulsanne Speed

2016 Borgward BX5 Concept

2016 Borgward BX6 TS Concept

2017 Bugatti Chiron

2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

2017 Citroen C4 Cactus Rip Curl

2016 DS E-Tense Concept

2016 Citroen SpaceTourer

2016 Citroen SpaceTourer Hyphen Concept

2016 Citroen e-Mehari by Courreges Concept

2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso

2017 Fiat 124 Rally Abarth

2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth

2016 Fiat Fullback Concept

2017 Fiat Tipo 5-door

2017 Fiat Tipo Station Wagon

2016 Honda Civic Hatchback Concept

2017 Jaguar F-Type SVR

2017 Jaguar F-Type SVR Coupe

2017 Lamborghini Centenario

2017 Lexus LC 500h

2017 Maserati Levante

2017 McLaren 570GT

2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet

2017 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG 4Matic Cabriolet

2017 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG 4Matic Coupe

2016 Mercedes-Benz S600 Maybach Guard

2016 Mini John Cooper Works Convertible

2016 Morgan 4-4 80th Anniversary

2017 Morgan EV3

2017 Opel Ampera-e

2016 Opel GT Concept

2017 Opel Mokka X

2016 Pagani Huayra BC

2017 Peugeot 2008

2017 Porsche 718 Boxster

2017 Porsche 911 R

2017 Renault Megane Estate

2017 Renault Scenic

2016 Rimac Concept_One

2016 Rimac Concept_S

2017 Seat Ateca

2017 Skoda Octavia RS 4x4

2017 Skoda Octavia RS 4x4 Combi

2016 Skoda VisionS Concept

2017 Spyker C8 Preliator

2016 SsangYong SIV-2 Concept

2017 SsangYong Tivoli XLV

2016 Subaru XV Concept

2017 Toyota C-HR

2016 Volkswagen T-Cross Breeze Concept

2017 Volkswagen Up

2017 Volvo V40

2017 Volvo V40 Cross Country

2017 Volvo V90 Estate

...and more.

For the full gallery: http://www.netcarshow.com/ncs_geneva-2016.htm

London Has Fallen

London Has Fallen

In the hit 2013 action flick Olympus Has Fallen, Gerard Butler played the role of a disgraced Secret Service Agent Mike Banning who is on a mission to save the White House from North Korean terrorists and prevent world chaos. It's been three years passed since Olympus Has Fallen but now, Agent Banning is back and this time, he's on a mission to take London back against an armed terrorist group plotting to assassinate the world leaders.

London Has Fallen is the sequel to the hit 2013 action flick and in that film; following the attack on the White House three years ago, the British prime minister unknowingly died and the world's top leaders will attend his funeral, unknowingly that the prime minister's funeral is nothing more than a trap set up by the armed terrorist group, bent on hunting down the world's top leaders, including the US President (played by Aaron Eckhart), and cause world chaos. It's up to Agent Banning to put a stop to this latest insurrection and take London back before it's too late.

You can really feel just how bewitching and traumatizing the first part of the film is, witnessing how terrorists blown up the rest of London in one fell swoop and watching is like you're in a disaster flick, but seeing Agent Banning on a mission to take London back, his daring moments will really take you back to the moment he stopped North Koreans in the first flick three years ago. Sadly, he's not facing against North Koreans but rather a terrorist group similar to the real world's Islamic State, so you may actually wondering if the enemies he'll face in this new film looks broadly similar to the terrorist group we are facing in the real world.

While this latest assignment is all "God Save The Queen", the fight scenes are all "Rule Britannia" and you can really feel the tension, the suspense, and the thrills this movie delivers and this film bites more than Olympus. Anyway, no time for Brit pop culture references but if you are looking for some real thrills in your next Spring movie watchlist, consider this. No, actually, you'd better be brave enough to sustain the latest (fictional) impact within city limits and survive your way to the end of the flick.

My rating: 3.4 out of 5.

#BGNasaanSiCarrotMan

On the March 4, 2016 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Patayin ang aswang gags

- We interrupt your lunch for a special report!

- Putak Taktiks for the girls are examined.

- Istambay, Istambay sa Looban, Lungkot ay atin munang takasan, Tungkol din sa takas ang usapan, Si Erning na galing...BILANGGUAN?!

- Boys are talking about that weird stuff from that woman's undersides.

- Carrot man jokes

- More words to live by from Tata Lino!

- IKAW AT ANG INA takes on...FamBond posts...

- A politician tries to break the world record.

Disney's Zootopia

Disney's Zootopia

This is the latest animated film ever to be brought up by the creative minds from the wonderful world of Disney. It's called Zootopia and in the world of Zootopia, animals are behaving just like us, doing their hectic lifestyles, and enjoy whatever on their hearts' content. In this mammal metropolis, everything is possible.

So, how did the innovative people behind hit animated Disney films such as Frozen and Big Hero 6 came up with this unique environment where animals of all kinds get together in the big city? Well, for starters, the people behind the film imagine what would it be like if animals play the part of...us and do all sorts of stuff normal people would do such as shopping, going to work, exercise, politics, crimes, whatever all sort of stuff. That's where the idea of Zootopia was born.

The film centers on two protagonists; Nick Wilde, your basic city fox (who turns out to be a scam artist, by the way), and Officer Judy Hoops, a female cadet police officer who strives to fit in with her larger colleagues, and together, they can get through all sorts of Zootopia, knowing what is like to be wild in the urban jungle they're stepping on.

From the Sahara Square, Tundratown, Rainforest, Savanna Central, Little Rodentia, even straight to Mayor Lionheart's office, the world of Zootopia really is every animal lovers' fantasy come true as the movie tries to impress younger viewers the wonders of this mammal metropolis while dealing with a rather good storyline that doesn't feel much as exciting as the other Disney films. Think about it, coming up with the world where animals living like us, it's definitely possible in the world of cartoons but in terms of fandom, they should probably do better than that because getting to portray as their favorite Zootopia characters seems difficult than they ever imagine so please don't. Let the little kids dress up as their favorite Zootopia characters because little kids are better than grownups when it comes to dress as animals.

Either way, Zootopia may not be one of the best films to show this Spring season but this is the ideal family movie to watch especially those who want to get their wild side on even in this modern landscape you and I are stepping on.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5.