Winners of the 2017 Academy Awards

This year's Academy Awards may have been filled with some controversies, confusions, and the suspense in each and every corner they might come across the moment the winner is introduced but with anticipation is in hindsight, it's no wonder some people are tuning in to see if their favorite will make it to the honor roll, especially big-time films such as Rogue One, La La Land, Moonlight, and many others.

So, in case you missed all the drama, the suspense, and all of what happened in the 89th Academy Awards, here are the list of this year's winners...

Best Picture: Moonlight

Actor: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea

Actress: Emma Stone, La La Land

Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, Fences

Animated Feature: Zootopia

Cinematography: La La Land

Costume Design: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Direction: Damien Chazelle, La La Land

Documentary Feature: O.J.: Made in America

Documentary Short: The White Helmets

Film Editing: Hacksaw Ridge

Foreign Language Film: The Salesman

Makeup and Hairstyling: Suicide Squad

Music (Original Score): La La Land

Music (Original Song): City of Stars from La La Land

Production Design: La La Land

Short Film (Animated): Piper

Short Film (Live Action): Sing

Sound Editing; Arrival

Sound Mixing: Hacksaw Ridge

Visual Effects: The Jungle Book

Writing (Adapted): Moonlight

Writing (Original): Manchester by the Sea

La La Land

Moonlight may have stole La La Land for Best Picture due to some setbacks but this film scored six awards than any other film in the list, although Amazon's original movie, Manchester by the Sea proved even an underdog movie came from a streaming service CAN make it to the top, meaning that in the world of Oscars, everything is possible.

Congratulations to all of the Oscar winners!

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Malaysia may use dental profiling to identify Kim

Sourced from NHK World:

Malaysia's heath minister has suggested that tools other than DNA testing could be used in getting a final identification of a body thought to be that of the half-brother of North Korea's leader.

Kim Jong Nam was killed on February 13th after being attacked by two women in Kuala Lumpur's airport. Malaysian police say a VX nerve agent was wiped on his face. The police chief has said no DNA samples from the victim's relatives have been supplied.

On Sunday, Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam told reporters that if a next of kin fails to show up, his ministry could use dental profiling as well as comparing the victim to photographs to look for identification marks such as moles.

The Malaysian government intends to hand over the body to the victim's family after confirming his identity.

Last week, North Korea's Ambassador to Malaysia, Kang Chol, insisted that the victim was not Kim Jong Nam, and demanded a joint investigation into the murder.

Let's Do The News! (February 27, 2017)

- For the second time this month, most jeepney drivers all over the Philippines staged a nationwide transport strike against the government's PUV modernization program. The members of transport groups PISTON, Stop and Go Coalition, and No to Jeepney Phase-out Coalition are expected to gather at the Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan City to kick off today's nationwide transport strike. Numerous passengers left stranded and some classes are suspended following the strike.

- Philippine National Police Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa personally visited Senator Leila De Lima in her detention cell at the PNP Custodial Center. The visit happened on the first night of De Lima at the detention cell, according to him.

- The House of Representatives is all set for the voting on the controversial Death Penalty Bill this coming Tuesday. House Majority Leader Rodolfo Farinas said they will approve in the second reading of the House Bill 4727 or the Death penalty Reimposition Bill.

- US President Donald Trump's choice for secretary of the Navy has withdrawn from consideration for the post. It's the second time that a nominee to lead one of the US armed services has withdrawn, citing government conflict-of-interest rules. Trump announced on Saturday his intention to nominate Philip Bilden, a former executive of an investment company, as Secretary of the Navy, a post that reports to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

- The United States has called on Russia to observe a 2015 ceasefire agreement in eastern Ukraine. The State Department said in a statement the US is closely monitoring the growing violence there and pro-Russian separatists' continuing failure to honor the truce.

- The new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 gets even more potent than ever with the new 1LE trim, featuring improved aerodynamics, adjustable suspension, and other track-honed upgrades.

- Actor Bill Paxton passed away at the age of 61. Paxton appeared in films sucjh as Apollo 13, Twister, The Terminator, Predator 2, Aliens, and Titanic.

TTFN!!!

Things we learned from Aqours First Love Live concert

Last weekend, the school idol group as seen on the Love Live Sunshine!! series, Aqours (pronounced as aqua), thrown their very first Love Live concert at the Yokohama Arena and then livestreamed in select cinemas not just in Japan but the rest of the world.

It was the best Love Live concert ever, so said by anyone who witnessed Aqours' first major concert, and if anyone made it on the final day are in for a mega treat because some major announcements have been officially made to make the Lovelivers happy.

Part of Aqours' Next Step Project, there's going to be a brand new CD coming soon." and then some newer ones from sub-units CYaRon, AZALEA, and Guilty Kiss, this time with the addition of new duo/trio collection CDs to keep the ante up.

If you thought they're done after their First Love Live concert, you're dead wrong because there's going to be another Aqours concert coming this summer. Known as the HAPPY PARTY TRAIN tour, they will be at the Nippon Gaishi Hall on the 5th to 6th to August, World Memorial Hall on the 19th to 20th of August, and the Seibu Prince Dome on the 29th to 30th of September.

Best of all, the TV series will return this Autumn! Enough said.

So, are you excited for more Aqours?

Bubble Gang - February 24, 2017 #BGMeetUp

In the February 24, 2017 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Meet-up gags

- Pareng Roger tries to save someone trapped on fire.

- Doing the good cop, bad-cop approach during the interrogation

- Reunion of the fakers



- The old couple at the park trying hard to remember things.

- Auditioning for a role that doesn't really exist.

- New vocabulary words are examined.

- More news for moms in Balitang Ina!

- The convenience store problem

- Basa-basa pik! 

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Trump expresses anger over N. Korea

US President Donald Trump says that his government is very angry at what the Korean Peninsula has done, and is critical of the country's missile and nuclear development.

Asked whether a meeting with the North's leader Kim Jong Un is a possibility, President Trump replied he wouldn't say no, but that may be too late.

Trump said the US government appreciates China's move to halt coal imports from North Korea. He added that China has tremendous control over the North, and it could solve the security challenge posed by the country very easily if it wanted to.

As for cooperation with Japan and South Korea, Trump said accelerating a missile defense system for the allies is one of many things that can be done, and that there are talks of a lot more than that.

Source: NHK World

Let's Do The News! (February 24, 2017)

- Senator Leila de Lima surrendered herself to arresting authorities following the issuance of an arrest warrant against her by a Muntinlupa Court. From her Senate office in Room 502, she was escorted to the agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group led by Chief Superintendent Roel Obusan.

- Following de Lima's arrest, Vice President Leni Robredo decried what she called a "political harassment" by the administration. In a statement, Robredo said that De Lima's arrest was part of a political agenda and not a result of an "independent, unbiased" legal process.

- Former PNP chief Alan Purisima yesterday pleaded not guilty to charges of graft and usurpation of official functions in connection with his alleged involvement in the Mamasapano incident. Purisima maintained his innocence during his arrangement at the Sandiganbayan.

- Prosecutors have indicted a suspect in last July's mass murder of mentally disabled people at a care facility in eastern Japan. Satoshi Uematsu was indicted for the murders of 19 people and the attempted murders of 24 others at a facility in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture.

- US President Donald Trump has criticized the nuclear disarmament treaty with Russia as one-sided and signaled his willingness to expand his nation's nuclear arsenal. He called the New START "a one-sided deal." The nuclear arms reduction treaty ended seven years ago. He said the United States falls behind on nuclear weapon capability and he said if any country wants to make nukes, he make sure that the US will be at the top of the pack.

- Ford unleashed the Competition Series variant of the Ford GT supercar. While the EcoBoost V6 engine remains the same, it now weighs 3,054lbs.

Ford GT Competition Series

- The new Porsche Panamera Turbo S e-Hybrid is the most powerful Panamera ever made and its set to debut at next month's Geneva Motor Show. This PHEV variant is powered by a combination of a 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo, electric motor, and a li-ion battery, producing a total power output of 680HP of power

2018 Porsche Panamera Turbo S e-hybrid

- The skater-turned coach Victor Nikiforov from the hit anime series Yuri!!! on Ice joins the Nendoroid lineup. He's available to order tarting at 4,167 Yen plus tax and will be delivered this August.

Nendoroid Victor Nikiforov

- For Love Live Sunshine fans, a figma of Kanan Matsuura has arrived! It's available to order starting at 5,833 yen plus tax and will be delivered this September.

figma Kanan Matsuura

TTFN!!!

Let's Do The News! (February 23, 2017)

- The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court branch 204 under the sala of Judge Juanita Guerrero has issued a warrant of arrest against Senator Leila De Lima regarding her case in connection with her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison.

- Three Indian soldiers and a woman were killed when militants ambushed a patrol in South Kashmir early on Thursday, part of an upsurge of violence that has hit the restive northern region as it emerges from winter.

- The Surigao Airport has resume its operations on Thursday. The airport had to close due to the damage brought by the Magnitude 6.7 Earthquake.

- The Department of Foreign Affairs – Overseas Voting Secretariat announced today that DFA-OVS and COMELEC-OFOV have signed tripartite memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) for the continuing registration/certification of qualified overseas Filipinos, that resumed on 01 December 2016 and will end on 30 September 2018, for purposes of the 2019 elections.

- The US administration of Donald Trump has withdrawn federal guidance allowing transgender students to use bathrooms of their choice at public schools. The Trump administration announced its repeal on Wednesday. Conservative states including Texas had filed lawsuits demanding the reversal of the guidelines.

- Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn will step down from his position effective this 1st of April. He will still be in charge with the Renault-Nissan Alliance as well as Mitsubishi, however.

- Mercedes-Benz teases an all-new E-Class Cabriolet set for Geneva Motor Show debut.

- Dia Kurosawa joins the Love Live Sunshine DreamTech scale figure lineup. This latest addition is available to order starting at 14,800 yen plus tax and arrives this August.

TTFN!!!

These are the best anime songs in history

February is known by some as the "Month of Anime" but the year 2017 marks the centennial anniversary of Japanese animation or so they say. Last weekend, there was a special programming aired on NHK highlighting the best 100 anime songs in history and, as they said, these are the best 100 anime songs in history, be it opening, closing, or insert, whatever maybe as long as they came from anime shows as seen on TV.

Here are the best 30 out of the 100 anime songs in history and you might be amazed which franchise scored big-time.

1. "SNOW HALATION" (LOVE LIVE!)
2. "BOKUTACHI WA HITOTSU NO HIKARI (LOVE LIVE! THE SCHOOL IDOL MOVIE)
3. "ORION WO NAZORU" (TIGER & BUNNY)
4. "History Maker" (Yuri!!! on Ice)
5. "Butter-fly" (Digimon Adventure)
6. "only my railgun" (A Certain Scientific Railgun)
7. "Platinum" (Cardcaptor Sakura)
8. "Cruel Angel's Thesis" (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
9. "Sugar Song and Bitter Step" (Blood Blockade Battlefront)
10. "TRAGEDY" (The File of Young Kindaichi Returns) 
11. "Connect" (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
12. "Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari" (Bakemonogatari)
13. "Maji Love 1000%" (Uta no Prince-sama - Maji Love 1000%)
14. "M@STERPIECE" (THE IDOLM@STER MOVIE: Kagayaki no Mukōgawa e!)
15. "Guren no Yumiya" (Attack on Titan)
16. "Space Battleship Yamato" (Space Battleship Yamato)
17. "Hare Hare Yukai" (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
18. "God knows…" (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
19. "Lion" (Macross F)
20. "Daydream Cafe" (Is the order a rabbit?)
21. "Sore wa Bokutachi no Kiseki" (Love Live!) 
22. "Mezase Pokémon Master" (Pokémon)
23. "Aishiteru Banzai!" (Love Live!)
24. "Angelic Angel" (Love Live! The School Idol Movie)
25. "SUNNY DAY SONG" (Love Live! The School Idol Movie)
26. "CHANGE THE WORLD" (Inuyasha)
27. "ETERNAL BLAZE" (Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's)
28. "Get Wild" (City Hunter)
29. "Zero Ichi Kiseki" (And you thought there is never a girl online?)
30. "Catch You Catch Me" (Cardcaptor Sakura)

μ's Final Love Live

Image: Project Love Live!

Amazingly, the Love Live franchise scored the most songs in the rankings than any other anime shows. From the now legendary μ's to the rising Aqours in Love Live Sunshine, whose first Love Live concert is happening this weekend, it's no wonder that it became one of the most successful anime franchises in history when it comes to anime songs.

Let's Do The News! (February 22, 2017)

- The Senate is set to reopen the investigation of the alleged existence of the Davao Death Squad following the revelations of retired SPO3 Arturo Lascanas last Monday. The committee headed by Sen. Panfilo Lacson will possibly resume its hearing next week after 10 Senators voted in favor of the said probe.

- President Rodrigo Duterte will not attend the 31st EDSA People Power Anniversary on the 25th of February, 2017. According to Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza, Duterte's absence in the event is due to his commitment in the relaunching of the Comprehensive Agreement of the Bangsamoro in Davao City on Friday.

- There's a possibility that another power hike of up to 92 centavos per kWh will be imposed starting this March. The Energy Regulatory Commission approved the request of MERALCO of a power rate hike as a result of the maintenance shutdown of the Malampaya plant.

- The US Department of Homeland Security announced new immigration polices to implement the executive order signed by President Donald Trump last month. The directives released on Tuesday include the hiring of 15,000 border patrol and immigration enforcement agents and the expansion of facilities to accommodate illegal immigrants on the border with Mexico.

- Six years have passed since the deadly Christchurch quake in New Zealand and citizens are remembering the victims of the deadly quake that killed 185 people. About 3,500 people took part in a ceremony on a riverbank in central Christchurch. A memorial wall has been built there, etched with the names of those who died.

- At least 74 bodies have been washed ashore in Libya. A local humanitarian group suspects that a boat carrying migrants capsized. The Libyan Red Crescent released photos of its workers collecting the bodies in the city of Zawiya on Monday.

- Land Rover teases a new addition to the Range Rover family. Called the Range Rover Velar, this Jaguar F-PACE-based crossover coupe will be premiered in Geneva Motor Show in March.

RR Velar teaser

- Toyota collaborates with Shell for the creation of hydrogen-fuelling stations.

- Akeno Misaki from the High School Fleet anime series gets her own figma! The star of last spring's anime series is now available to order starting at 6,296 Yen plus tax and delivers this July.

figma Akeno Misaki

TTFN!!!

Forza Horizon 3: A rare stablemate...

Twas the night is still young, I got a super rare prize car at a one-day-only Forzathon event here in Forza Horizon 3 and it's a very fast Ferrari track toy known as the 599XX, a potent track-only version of the 599 GTB Fiorano.

So, the Ferrari 599XX, what's it all about? It was characterized by the "High-Performance Dynamic Concept" which was designed to get the maximum performance by managing the combination of its mechanical limits with the potential of its electronic controls. Don't know what that is but what I heard is that this car has extensive use of carbon-fiber materials and the uprated V12 engine produces over seven hundred horses at 9,000rpm. It lapped around the Nurburgring in 6:58.16 and this was announced during its unveiling making it the fastest track car to lap around the Ring until it was beaten by the Pagani Zonda R.

Okay, enough explanation about this car because it's time to take a spin in one of the raciest Ferrari track toys ever made and what I did here is what idiots would say it's totally legit.

See? Totally legit! No foolin' around! He he he...What a whack job to do with a rare machine that I won from a one-day-only event but still, the night is still young, and let's do things while we're at it.

Let's Do The News! (February 21, 2017)

- The allegations of retiring police officer Arthur Lascanas should trigger a United Nations investigation over President Rodrigo Duterte's ongoing brutal war on drugs. According to the Human Rights Watch, Lascanas' allegation heightened the urgent need for an independent probe into the deaths of over seven thousand individuals in the drug war.

- The Commission of Higher Education announced that it will issue a moratorium on field trips and educational tours following the accident in Tanay, Rizal, that killed 15 students. Commissioner Prospero de Vera earlier called for the suspension of the school trips while investigation into a bus crash is ongoing. The suspension will cover all field trips and educational tours in all colleges and universities until the investigation is completed.

- The Department of Justice ordered the Bureau of Immigration to issue an immigration lookout bulletin order against three suspects in the 'rent-tangay' scam that has victimized car owners from all over the country. In a memorandum, DOJ Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre ordered Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente to put Ana Pamplona Borlon, Lea Constantino Rosales and Rafaela Anunciacion under an ILBO.

- US President Donald Trump named Army Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond McMaster as his new national security adviser. McMaster replaces Michael Flynn, who resigned on Monday last week following reports that he misled Vice President Mike Pence over his discussions on sanctions with Russia's ambassador to the US.

- Demonstrators took to the streets in cities across the United State to condemn President Trump on the President's Day holiday on Monday. It is exactly one month has passed since Trump took office.

- UN agencies are calling for an urgent boost in international aid to South Sudan after declaring a famine in parts of the East African nation. The World Food Program and two other UN agencies said in their joint statement that 4.9 million people were in urgent need of food.

- A light plane has crashed into a shopping mall in the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia. Authorities in Victoria State say none of the five people onboard are likely to have survived. The plane crashed soon after taking off from an airport in Essendon on Tuesday morning. The shopping mall, located next to the airport, had not yet opened for the day. Local media say the aircraft crashed into a storage area and that no one on the ground was injured.

- Chevrolet's new Camaro ZL1 sportscar reached a top speed of 202.3mph, faster than the Corvette C7 Z06's 198mph but slower than the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat's 204mph top speed.

- Aston Martin revealed Red Bull editions of the Vantage lineup, inspired by the Red Bull Racing F1 team.

- Shooting for the Avengers: Infinity War films are underway with a featurette showing Iron Man's Robert Downey Jr., Spider-Man Homecoming's Tom Holland, and Guardians of the Galaxy's Chris Pratt.

TTFN!!!