Super GT 2016 FINALE

Under certain circumstances, the season finale of Autobacs Super GT is a two-parter held at the Twin Ring Motegi. The main reason why it's a two-part finale is because that third round, which is supposed to be held at the Autopolis (which is near the quake-struck Kumamoto Prefecture) was suspended and therefore, making the final round a two-parter to ensure that this season remains an eight-round event as planned.

Check out the highlights of this epic two-part finale of the 2016 Super GT season.

In part one, the winner in the GT500 class goes to the #24 Forum Engineering ADVAN GT-R, driven by Daiki Sasaki and Masataka Yanagida, while the winner in the GT300 class goes to the #21 Hitotsuyama Audi R8 LMS, driven by Richard Lyons and Tomonobu Fujii. In part two, the #39 DENSO KOBELCO SARD RC F, driven by Heikki Kovalainen and Kohei Hirate, won the GT500 class while the #25 VivaC 86 MC, driven by Takeshi Tsuchiya and Takamitsu Matsui, won the GT300 class.

Still, the champions of the Autobacs Super GT 2016 Series go to the #39 DENSO KOBELCO SARD RC F, driven by Heikki Kovalainen and Kohei Hirate, for the GT500 class and the #25 VivaC 86 MC, driven by Takeshi Tsuchiya and Takamitsu Matsui, for the GT300 class. It really was a winner take all finale, after all, huh?

Anyway, this concludes the AUTOBACS Super GT 2016 Series. See you next season.

Let's Do The News! (November 14, 2016)

- According to a UP professor, US President-Elect Donald Trump may adapt "peace through strength" policy in the Asia-Pacific region. Jay Batongbacal, director of the UP Institute of Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea said than an imminent Trump administration indicates such policy and added that the United States would focus less on the economic aspect and would be open to a so-called "grand bargain" with China.

- President Rodrigo Duterte may hold two to four bilateral meets on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Peru. According to a foreign affairs official, nothing is final yet regarding the meetings, which are dependent on the availability of Duterte and other world leaders.

- PNP Police Director General Bato Dela Rosa is willing to be imprisoned if it turns out he broke the law by going on a trip to Las Vegas to see the Pacquiao-Vargas fight. Dela Rosa admitted that Senator Manny Pacquiao paid for everything when he and his family flew to Las Vegas to watch his recent fight against Jessie Vargas.

- The University of the Philippines will vote tomorrow for its next president, who will succeed Alfredo Pascual whose six-year term ends in February 2017. The 11-member UP Board of Regents, will select the next UP president during a special meeting at the Diliman campus. They will choose among six nominees, who are expected to face the regents prior to the election.

- A strong quake rattled the South Island of New Zealand early Monday, shaking residents awake, causing damage to buildings and triggered small tsunami waves. The M7.8 quake struck just after midnight in a mostly rural area close to the city of Christchurch. So far, no reports of injuries but it reminded them of a M6.3 quake that hit Christchurch five years ago and killed 185 people, making it the worst disasters in New Zealand.

- Check out what's in store with the brand new Love Live School Idol Festival ~afterschool Activity~ arcade game, set to arrive this December, including smartphone app connectivity as well as printing real cards for your collection! Now, where did they get that idea from?

- The first teaser trailer for the live-action Ghost in the Shell film starring actress Scarlett Johansson as the Major is now up and running.



- In case you missed the recent Eat Bulaga Kalyeserye, that "positive" the lolas are talking about regarding Maine Mendoza could only mean one thing...



TTFN!!!

Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet

Back in 2014, Mercedes-Benz made their first-ever S-Class Coupe to serve as the replacement to the CL-Class, which was based from the previous S-Class of yesteryears. Although being a two-door flagship grand tourer derivative of Mercedes' flagship saloon, the S-Class Coupe has been the potent pugilist against Bentley's Continental GT in terms of pricing but only those Marquises and Marchionesses who owned it will live up to their tales. Now, there's an open-top version that is all about business and leisure all day long.

2017 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet

Say hello to the first-ever S-Class Cabriolet from Mercedes-Benz and by the looks of it, this open-top grand tourer is about Great Ocean Road meets Wall Street from one place to another, but this grand tourer can rest its case, even though its super-expensive 139,885 Euro pricing stuns the Bentley Continental GT Convertible.

Of course, being convertibles, they can weigh more than its hardtop equivalents but in a normal S500 Cabriolet, with the 4.7L V8 engine connected with the 9G-TRONIC gearbox, developing 455PS of power and 700Nm of torque, it can get out from 0 to 100kph in 4.6 seconds, which is .4 seconds quicker than the Continental GT V8 Convertible, but sadly, the Benz is electronically limited to 250kph.

2017 Mercedes-AMG S63 Cabriolet

2017 Mercedes-AMG S65 Cabriolet

Although, if any high rollers want to up the ante, they can go with two powerful AMG versions; the S63 Cabriolet or the S65 Cabriolet. This should give them plenty of oomph to give the opposition a run on their briefcases load of cash from Fifth Avenue to Verrazano Bridge. While the S63 Cabriolet uses the soon-to-be-rot 5.5L V8 BiTurbo engine producing 585PS of power output, its 0-100kph time of 3.9 seconds will drown the CGT V8 S Convertible at the start line, although the option to limit its top speed of 300kph is a tad 8kph less than the CGT V8 S Convertible.

The S65 Cabriolet, with the turbocharged 6.0L V12 engine and with the SPEEDSHIFT PLUS gearbox, sees the CGT Speed Convertible as the target, and with its 630PS of power output, getting away from the Bentley .2 seconds quicker is an easy task but be warned because even with the optional package to increase its top speed limit, that will be 28kph less than what the CGT Speed Convertible can pull off. So, even with these open-top versions weighing more than their hardtop equivalents, the story remains the same although the price difference sets these rivals apart.

Hmmm, if you can recall how the S-Class Coupe handles, they can be very hard to handle due to its weight and in terms of dynamics, it's very challenging indeed if you're not careful with it. The same story goes to the open-top versions. Even though you can feel a slight difference due to its added weight from these open-top equivalents, it takes guts to get these cars from one point to another very carefully because they can tend to oversteer or understeer and looks like you're going to need a new artificial hip after that long struggle with these open-top grand tourers. Of course, if you're not in a mood to be as loud as a house with lots of kids inside, they can be very subtle and enjoyable to drive on the open road like smelling the fresh air from the Great Ocean Road.

With the first-ever cabriolet variant, there are different kinds of S-Class to choose from and whichever S-Class you choose is proof that you have the highest standards, a cut above the rest if you really understand what it means, but with stiffer competitions aside, looks like the S-Class range will going to be on a tough slob but if anyone's greedy enough to spend their briefcases load of money, look no further.

Photo: Daimler AG

Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213 Estate

With the latest-generation Mercedes E-Class, the German carmaker is taking a path ahead to the autonomous driving trend by delivering its highly-advanced driver tech that is smart enough to track down roads with precise movements. A quantum leap through the better future of driving thanks to its clever intelligence planted in this sports saloon, if I recalled. So, what if you can get the same driving tech from the saloon while getting some more space in the trunk?

2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate

An estate version, to be exact. The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate delivers the same highly-advanced driver tech that is smart enough to track down roads with precise movements, only this time, with the added boot space big enough to load their lifestyles.

It's the same E-Class story inside out but because this is the new estate version, there are new stuff offered on this model such as the new EASY-PACK tailgate that can be opened and closed at the push of a button for better loading and unloading as well as the available KEYLESS-GO with HANDS-FREE ACCESS, which fits very well in various situations like your kid's afterschool football practice, your next grocery shopping, your next trip to the province, or whatever you see fit to this tech-savvy station wagon. Another features you can expect later on is the third, folding bench seat at the back as well as the rear-seat entertainment system that will keep kids staying on that "sweet spot" they've been saving for weeks. Although it's not just made to be a family car, its luxury car status will keep rich men leaving with their "out on a limo" feeling.

Because this is a station wagon version, it has a capacity of 670 to 1820 litres, making it the biggest in its class, courtesy of its 40:20:40 split foldable rear seats with various seating arrangements suitable for various situations.

Like the saloon, the new E-Class Estate features the DRIVE PILOT feature with Distance Pilot DISTRONIC allows the car to handle road types to keep it in the correct distance behind vehicles in front automatically as well as following them at speeds up to 210kph. It even comes with the Remote Parking Pilot feature, Car-to-X  communication, and PRE-SAFE as well, making it technologically ready for tomorrow's world.

Performance-wise, the estate version inherits the same engine choices from the saloon as well as the brand new 3.5L V6 turbo engine for the E400 4MATIC model that produces 333PS of power and 480Nm of torque, while mated to a 9G-TRONIC gearbox and 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive. PHEV and an AMG models will follow shortly post-launch. As for dynamics, the new E-Class Estate, inherited the same lighter and stiffer bodywork from the saloon as well as its Direct-Steer system, can track down corners with precise movements and it's a great wagon to take it on the highs and lows of the road, from workdays to day offs.

Should you buy one? The new E-Class Estate starts at 48,665 Euros, which is a pricing that slot between its rivals for its expense, but rest assured that with all that tech-savvy features inherited from the saloon, this station wagon version of the E-Class is here today, ready for tomorrow's roads.

Photo: Daimler AG

Monstrous fire hits rural Mandaluyong

A massive fire broke out in a rural part of Mandaluyong City on Sunday, as if the blaze looked like a scene from a Hollywood movie or something.

The blaze reached the highest level at 9:45 pm on Sunday, and was declared under control at 12:31 am on Monday, November 14. In response, all of the available firefighters have been dispatched to that matter.

Report: http://www.rappler.com/nation/152264-mandaluyong-addition-hills-fire-november-13-2016

Paris attacks - one year later...

Map Imagery from Google

November 13, 2015 - It was nighttime in Paris, France, when armed terrorists unleashed a barrage of attacks through numerous sites in the French capital such as nearby Stade de France, where the soccer match between France and Germany occurred, Avenue de la République, Rue de Charonne, Rue Bichat, and the hardest hit on the deadly Paris attacks is the Bataclan concert hall where a rock concert occurred and then terrorists taken dozens of people hostage.

According to reports, over 130 people were killed, making it the deadliest attack in France since World War II, and the Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for the attacks. In response, French president Francois Hollande declared a state of emergency to the capital and staged retaliatory strikes against the Islamic State militants who are held responsible for the attacks.

Right now, France has became one of the hotbeds of terrorist attacks led by the Islamic State militants followed by Belgium and Germany. It seems that the European Union failed to contain such deadly attacks led by these terrorists. With the rise of Donald Trump being elected as the 45th president of the United States, the world superpower, and with a French politician belonging to an anti-immigration party, named Marine Le Pen, is gunning for the presidential seat in France, it seems that things are taking in from bad to worse. With all that Islamic extremism taking the world affairs by storm, it's a loud, loud, loud, loud world after all and for us, the war on terror isn't just your everyday warfare. This is advanced warfare and we could be in for a long slob.

2016-2017 Seattle International Auto Show at CenturyLink Field Event Center

Despite all of what happened throughout the week, I still had my mood happy enough to go to the annual Seattle International Auto Show, held at the CenturyLink Field Event Center. This year's event runs until the 13th of November, 2016, and there are so many cool cars in store in this show. With so many cool cars in store, I got a chance to take pics of these cars to show all of you.

Check it out!



Full gallery:
https://flic.kr/s/aHskNpqeYC

My video footage:

AlDub's wedding anniversary, sorta

Photo: Official Eat Bulaga Facebook

We know that they've been married by a month but by Kalyeserye standards, it's AlDub's wedding anniversary!

But first, the lolas invited beauty queen Ruffa Gutierrez as their honorary Inday Henyo and showcased their Inday Henyo recipe called "Gotcha...Healthy Veggie Frittata!"

So, how do you cook this meal? All you need is a tablespoon of butter or margarine, a cup of sliced mushrooms, 1/2 cup green and/or chopped red peppers, 1/3 cup chopped onion, 12 eggs, 1/4 cup water. Procedures?

1. Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, peppers, and onion, then saute until tender.
2. Pour egg mixture over vegetables in the frying pan cover and cook over medium heat.
3. When bottom is cooked and top is almost set, finish cooking the frittata on the stove top by covering it with a lid for a few minutes, or flip it over in the pan to cook the top part. Cook for a few minutes until it is cooked.
4. Cut into wedges and serve.

With the "Gotcha...Healthy Veggie Frittata", made by our honorary Inday Henyo served, it's time for Alden and Maine to do their thing in honor of their wedding "anniversary."

HIGHLIGHTS:

One question remains...is Maine positive?! Keep watching Eat Bulaga for more Kalyeserye antics!

Bubble Gang - November 11, 2016 #BGAlyasRuben

In the November 11, 2016 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Huling bilin gags

- Where are you going tonight?!!

- Mang Tañong thinks he's an NBA fan.

- In Enkangtodo, the Hangres made a collision course with...other shows!

- The Jungle Belles meet the king of the jungle!

- More PPAP spoofs with Taran Taro

- Meet the newest vigilante in town, Alyas Ruben Tagalog!

- Life's like a radio show...

- Basa-basa-pik!

Let's Do The News! (November 11, 2016)

- Authorities are searching for 16 more accomplices behind the Davao market blast two months ago, which killed 15 people and injured 60 others.

- President Rodrigo Duterte says that even though the US President-Elect Donald Trump maybe just a "small molecule" but he and Duterte shares a "common passion to serve" their countries. Upon arrival from Malaysia on Friday morning, Duterte said whoever would run for public office is expected to have this passion, or at least have discontent over social conditions.

- The Commission of Elections shut down two million voters for next year's barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections. According to COMELEC, those who didn't vote in 2013 and in the May 2016 elections are not eligible to vote in the October 2017 barangay and SK elections, and subsequent elections. They will have to register for their status to be reactivated during the five-month registration period.

- US President Barack Obama's meeting with president-elect Donald Trump at the White House became an "excellent" first meeting and Trump said he looked forward to receiving the outgoing leader's counsel.

- Court ruling on user data prompted Russia to block business-focused social network LinkedIn.

- The one-off Audi R8 Star of Lucis, as seen on the KINGSGLAIVE Final Fantasy XV film, will fetch an expensive 50,000,015 Japanese Yen price tag. Based on the new Audi R8, it features motif inspired from the Lucis Kingdom of Final Fantasy XV. Although very expensive for a one-off Audi R8 as seen from the film, it was made to celebrate the upcoming release of Final Fantasy XV this month.

Audi R8 Star of Lucis

- The VW Golf VII range has been given a minor change. New engines aside, the Golf's minor change features a brand new "Discover Pro" system that can be operated by gesture control.

2017 Volkswagen Golf

- In honor of the Honda N360's 50th anniversary in 2017, Honda launched a special edition N ONE SS Neo Classic Racer Package featuring special equipment and some stripes.

Honda N One SS Neo Classic Racer Package

- Reports told that Nintendo will cease production of current Wii U sets in Japan soon. The listings for both the Wii U Splatoon Set and the Wii U Premium Set state that they're slated to end production soon.

TTFN!!!

PriPara: Mezameyo! Megami no Dress Design

Kids, there's a brand new PriPara game in town and the latest installment based on the hit TV series delivers more ways to enjoy your PriPara experience at home or anywhere while taking advantage of its connectivity to the PriPara arcade game to get your very own tickets to collect and share with your friends.

PriPara: Mezameyo! Megami no Dress Design

The latest PriPara game, based on the hit TV series, PriPara: Mezameyo! Megami no Dress Design introduces new ways to play the game including the brand new Dress Design feature, as demonstrated from the latest episode of the show. In this game, you can indulge into its original storyline or getting to know your favorite trio groups from the TV series with a series of campaigns to choose from; SoLaMi Smile (Laala Manaka, Mirei Minami, and Sophy Hojo), Dressing Pafe (Sion Todo, Dorothy West, and Reona West), Gaarmageddon (Aroma Kurosu, Mikan Shiratama, and Gaaruru), Tricolore (Hibiki Shikyouin, Fuwari Midorikaze, and Falulu), TRIANGLE (Kanon, Pinon, and Junon) and the brand new trio Non Sugar (Non Manaka, Chiri Tsukikawa, and Pepper Taiyou).

Or, if you want to be part of the PriPara fun, you can create your own character. There are hundreds of combinations to choose from such as hairstyles, hair colors, eye colors, skin colors, eyewear and more. You can also use hairstyles inspired from your favorite characters for some uniqueness 

Now, let's talk about the brand new "Dress Design" feature. As seen on the latest PriPara episode, the new Dress Design feature allows players to customize their coordinates. Select a costume, select a color, select an accessory, represent a brand, and voila! You got your very own outfit designed by you!

In classic PriPara arcade-style gameplay, you can master up to thirty hit PriPara songs as well as new songs made specifically for this game. From the member appeal, dance, making drama, and the Cyalume Change phase, how you'll clear these phases on the songs is a difference between a hit and a miss and when you cleared a song by any means necessary, you'll earn coins to spend for items and likes. The bigger the likes, the better the ranking.. If you did very well, you can take on the Kami Idol Challenge to score more powerful outfits for your idols. Think you got what it takes to become the best among the rest?

Because this PriPara game features a special connectivity feature with the PriPara arcade game, you can access special features by linking your PriPara 3DS game to the PriPara arcade game. You can even print your very own tickets that you made from the 3DS game as well so you can collect or share with your friends. Parental supervision required.

For the ultimate PriPara fan, there is a limited edition Gorgeous Pack available for those who pre-ordered it for 7,800 Yen. Not only the game was inside, but also a special Laala Manaka figure, Kami Jewel 3 Cosette Team Tricolor set, and five special tickets featuring Laala and Jewlie.

With the brand new "dress design" feature and more ways to enjoy PriPara at the comfort of your living room or anywhere else as well as connectivity with the arcade game, this latest PriPara game is the definite experience for the little girls who just can't get enough of the PriPara craze. So, ready to go to Prism Stone and have the best PriPara day whenever you like? Laala and the gang's waiting for your call!

PriPara airs every Tuesday nights on TV Tokyo.

Mazda Roadster (ND) RF

Last year, Mazda introduced us the fourth-generation Roadster/MX-5 and this new model implements Mazda's revolutionary SKYACTIV Technology which balances fuel efficiency and performance at a same pace. Even though it's all-new, the Roadster formula still remains; light body, small engine, rear-wheel drive, and its fun-to-drive character. Following the success of the latest Roadster, Mazda introduced us a brand new variant that is a fitting present for the speedo boys for the holiday season.

2017 Mazda Roadster RF

At first glance, it looks vaguely similar to the current-generation Roadster, except for one major difference; a retractable hardtop targa roof to resemble a coupe-like silhouette. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the first-ever Mazda Roadster RF. RF means Retractable Fastback and true to its name, the new retractable hardtop delivers a coupe-like silhouette from every angle while delivering the classic Roadster feeling speedo boys enjoyed.

2017 Mazda Roadster RF interior

2017 Mazda Roadster RF

Apparently, because of the roof, the RF weighs a hundred more than the softop equivalent but despite its added weight from the hardtop roof, it's still a light car that values aerodynamics over performance. Classic Roadster mandarin. The lighter bodywork, smaller engine, and rear-wheel drive is what makes the Roadster great and for the new RF model, it's still a great performer that really gets you in the groove.

Exclusive to the RF and for the first time in the ND Roadster, since the rest of the world got one in their softtops, is a SKYACTIV-G 2.0L petrol engine. This engine, made specifically for this variant, produces 158PS of power and 200Nm of torque. It can be mated to either a 6-speed automatic or manual gearbox, which is great by us but we can rest our case in having a open-top car with a two-litre petrol engine for keeps. Because the Roadster RF, like its softtop equivalent, comes with SKYACTIV-CHASSIS and SKYACTIV-BODY, it feels as accessible as the softtop equivalent, making it an easy car to drive on the road and on the track, despite the added weight from the roof that questioned yourself in the process. Spend a lot of time and energy with this machine and you'll starting to fall in love with it all the time.

2017 Mazda Roadster RF

The new Mazda Roadster RF starts at 3,240,000 Japanese Yen, which is almost 800,000 Yen more than the soft-top Roadster, but despite its expensive pricing, it's still a fun sportscar if you can't afford the luxury open-top cars and it doesn't matter if you're not concentrating. Because this is the only Roadster in the stable to have a 2.0L engine in it, those looking for some grunt had no choice but to be indulged by the retractable fastback Roadster. You have a choice now, speedo boys.

Available colors: Soul Red Premium Metallic, Ceramic Metallic, Jet Black Mica, Machine Grey Premium Metallic, Blue Reflex Mica, and Crystal White Pearl Mica.

Photo: Mazda Motor Corporation