Let's Do The News! (September 5, 2017)

- Malacanang officials hasn't disregarding the information claiming to assassinate President Rodrigo Duterte in an effort to destabilize his administration. According to a former senatorial candidate, the Liberal Party has been plotting to undermine the Duterte administration and subsequently end the life of the president.

- Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has been accused of spending his allocation under the discredited Disbursement Acceleration Program to fund a project that was never implemented.

- According to the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura, the poultry industry suffered an approximately 2.5 billion peso loss due to the bird flu outbreak in Pampanga last month.

- Puerto Princesa City Vice Mayor Luis Marcaida III was arrested after being discovered with illegal drugs by the Philippine National Police-Drug Enforcement Group yesterday. The vice mayor has been accused of operating illegal drugs which provoked authorities to conduct a surveillance operation.

- Last weekend, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would seek an end to Turkey’s membership talks with the European Union in an apparent shift of her position during a televised debate weeks before a German election.

- Two people have been killed while seven are wounded in a recent Chicago shooting, adding the overall cases to 42 people shot during the Labor Day weekend. A woman was killed in an apparent homicide-suicide and a 15-year old boy was shot to death Monday evening on the West Side.

- The ultimate SEAT, the Leon Cupra R, has been unleashed. The ultra hot hatch is known as the most powerful SEAT made, with 310PS of power output available. Only 799 units will be made.



- Mercedes-Benz unveiled the S-Class Coupe and Cabriolet range's minor change prior to its Frankfurt debut.



- New Pokemon Sun and Moon toys from Takara Tomy on the radar! There's a miniature Gashapon Machine coming this October for 4,990 Yen plus tax and delivery and this playset not only comes with the Gashapon machine but also five medals, ten coins, ten Poke ball-shaped capsules to fit your Moncolle GET figures, and a bonus Pikachu Moncolle GET figure. For this month, the Pokemon plush toy range gets expanded with the addition of Rowlet with Ash's backpack, Dusk Form Lycanroc, and Cosmog. For MonColle EX collectors, there are new additions to the range coming this October such as Silvally, Mimikyu Battle Pose, and check out the new Ash vs. Gladion Battle Set which comes with four Moncolle EX figures; Umbreon, Rowlet, Midnight Form Lycanroc, and the brand new Dusk Form Lycanroc.

- The Avengers actor Paul Bettany is joining the cast for the yet untitled Han Solo film.

TTFN!!!

Let's Do The News! (September 4, 2017)

- The Public Attorney's Office reveals evidence of torture on slain 19-year-old Carl Angelo Arnaiz by the Caloocan police. Since the 17th of August, Carl Angelo Arnaiz went out with a friend for a midnight snack but never came back home. The same night, he was accused of flagging down a taxi driver with a revolver and allegedly stole the driver's wallet. The driver escaped and sought help from police officers who allegedly exchanged fire with Carl Angelo which led to the teenager’s death.

- President Rodrigo Duterte denied accusations that he has formed any deal with the Marcos family regarding the return of their supposed ‘ill-gotten’ wealth which was accumulated during the regime of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos. Last week, President Duterte announced that the Marcos family extended their willingness to return a portion of their amassed wealth.

- The Department of Health announced yesterday that no reports of fowl to human infections occurred amidst the bird flu outbreak in San Luis, Pampanga, last month.

- President Duterte expressed hopes that they will end the ongoing Marawi Siege by the end of this year.

- Former courtside reporter Laura Lehmann was named Miss World Philippines last night. Following her win, she will represent her country in the upcoming Miss World International contest in China this November.

-Genesis teases their upcoming sedan officially called the G70.

- Mercedes-AMG teases their upcoming "Project One" hypercar with its F1-inspired hybrid technology capable of unleashing a thousand horsepower and over 350kph of top speed.



- Mercedes-Benz previews their new OLED taillights on their upcoming S-Class Coupe and Cabriolet minor change.

 

- See what happens when Tiff Needell pits both the Nissan GT-R NISMO and an Audi R8 in an evo track test.


- MF Ghost, a new manga series by Initial D's Shuuichi Shigeno, has launched and check out your first look of the first page of the new manga series about an ace driver returns to Japan to take on a new kind of futuristic racing battle. CLICK HERE.

- Former Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston will star in an upcoming drama series Come Home.

TTFN!!!

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: North Korea detonates its sixth and most powerful nuclear test yet

North Korea detonated their sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sunday, according to Japan and South Korea, hours after Pyongyang said it had developed an advanced hydrogen bomb that possesses “great destructive power”.

Meteorological officials said an earthquake detected near the North’s test site – measured by the U.S. Geological Survey at magnitude 6.3 – was around 10 times more powerful than previous detonations.

The move is a direct challenge to U.S. President Donald Trump, who hours earlier had talked by phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe about the “escalating” nuclear crisis in the region.

Source: Reuters

Top Gear America - Outside the Box

The latest episode of BBC America's Top Gear America goes offroading and it's all about getting themselves dirty.

Antron Brown invites Bill Fichtner and Tom "Wookie" Ford for a taste of UTV action and that meant being provided with the best UTVs for sale. Bill drives a Polaris RZR XP 1000, Tom goes for the Yamaha YXZ1000R Special Edition, and Brown goes for the Can-Am Maverick X3 XRS. With the UTVs under the boys' hands, they set off for the ultimate comparo between the best UTVs in the market. Accidents included.

After the UTV adventure, Wookie goes to East LA to investigate the "lowrider" scene that became popular among American classic car owners everywhere.

Rocker Chris Daughtry is this week's celebrity guest and he lapped round the track in 1:26.84.

Then, Bill tries out one of the most extreme track toys ever to come out from Britain, the BAC Mono.

This episode ends with The Stig tries out a 2,000HP Toyota Land Cruiser round the track and he did it 1:32.44 before setting it on fire.

McLaren 720S

Since the beginning of the decade, McLaren is back in business when they first launched their first supercar after the legendary Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, known as the 12C. From the 12C to the 650S, the so-called Super Series combines motorsports knowhow with road-going elements that balances it out to create a supercar built for both roads and tracks, wherever lay ahead. With the advent of the 720S, the Super Series has entered its second chapter and this could mean a whole new beginning for Woking's finest.

2018 McLaren 720S

2018 McLaren 720S

720S, that new name for McLaren's second advent of the Super Series range does ring a bell to any nosy morons but while this name will ring a bell to anyone who wears diamonds on their bodies, the long-awaited replacement to the 650S shows that McLaren's still in a game of thrones dominated by the holy trinity of the sportscar realm such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche. McLaren's still an underdog to this battle but with the 720S, they've really progressed themselves to tackle Europe's finest.

2018 McLaren 720S interior

Before I get all nosy about the 720S, let's take a look on how it looks and for the 720S, it pinpoints what will their future sportscars look like while drawing inspiration from past models like the 12C, the 650S, and the now legendary P1 hypercar. While inspiration is pushing this car too far, some conspiracists would think that the 720S looks unbelievably similar to the hypercar that never was. Care to guess what that is? It's the one with the unpronounceable name on it and when bathed in white color, this car will have a slight case of identity loss, if you know what I mean.

Inside, the 720S looks pretty much the same as the other McLarens in the range but the hardware's all new with thanks to JVCKENWOOD. There are special features on the 720S that can be engaged while on track duty, allowing it to check on lap times, telemetry, g-force, speed, and other stuff, making it the perfect track toy to drive on the weekends or holidays. Pretty sweet, huh?

2018 McLaren 720S

Time to see what the 720S can do and let's start with brand new 4.0L V8 twin turbo engine that delivers a titular 720PS power output and 770Nm of torque. Armed with the double clutch gearbox, it does 0-60mph in less than three seconds and onwards to 341km/h (212mph), which is more than you can expect from its chief rival, the Ferrari 488. Of course, Ferrari's going to respond against the 720S with a more powerful 488 later on but for now, all eyes on its dynamics.

Call it challenging and dynamic if you may but for McLaren, they've perfected the 720S' track-honed capabilities with new and exciting mechanical components that makes the 720S a bewildering car to drive for both roads and tracks alike, starting with the newly improved Proactive Chassis Control and because of its new suspension and power-assisted electro-hydraulic steering, you get the same feeling from mastering an expert-level song with everything you got without losing your focus on one beat after another but word of warning, however, that when this car gets twitchy without warning, the 720S can be downright crazy. Apart from the chassis, the 720S utilizes a carbon fiber Monocage II structure enveloped by its lightweight aluminium and composite bodywork, which makes it lighter than the previous Super Series lineup  and because this car is lower than the previous Super Series range, the wing on it generates more downforce than the 650S. It's hydraulically operated as well, giving the 720S improved driver downforce, DRS, and high speed braking. Now that's gut-wrenching aerodynamics done right for this new species of McLaren supercars.

There's one cool feature I haven't mentioned on the 720S and that's the new Static Adaptive Headlight which works like every other cars that turn their lights when they steer but it's different to the ones we're familiar with because while the 720S's headlamps uses 17 LEDs in each headlight, about 12 of them light to the direction the car is heading.

McLaren's all new 720S starts at 218,020 Pounds but that's just the start because when you look at the options list, it gets even more expensive than your monthly mortgage, and if you ever think about driving one at the city center, you'll be nothing more of a public nuisance or a show-off so it's best to leave it on the open roads where you can drive this car anytime you want and nobody will yell at you. But still, with all that mechanical components that makes the new 720S a supercar above, this will leave the likes of the Lamborghini Huracan and the Ferrari 488 in a traumatic headache because in a game of top trumps, the 720S will eat those Axis Powers firebrands alive like piranhas in a volcanic lair. Scary.

Photo: McLaren Automotive

F1 2017 - Italian GP

The grueling Autodromo Nazionale Monza is the battle arena for the Italian Grand Prix of the F1 2017 season and history has been made by Lewis Hamilton following his historic pole position record that exceeds the expectations of F1 racing legends as well as keeping the rivalry between the Silver Arrows and the Prancing Horses burning hotter until the endgame comes between them.

Following his record-breaking 69th pole position record, Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton kept his lead going until he claimed his sixth win of the season while Valtteri Bottas placed 2nd, a 1-2 finish for the silver arrows, and Ferrari's firebrand, Sebastian Vettel, placed 3rd. Other finishers include Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo, Kimi Raikkonen, Force India's Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez, and Williams' Lance Stroll and Felipe Massa.

Another unlucky weekend for McLaren-Honda as both Stoffel Vandoorne and Fernando Alonso's cars faced mechanical failures, prompting them to retire by the team's request. Other drivers who couldn't make it are Marcus Ericsson from Sauber and Renault's Jolyon Palmer.

Thanks to Hamilton making history at Monza, the gap between him and Vettel are now at just three points, 238 vs 235. Next race is at Singapore on the 17th.

Love You to the Stars and Back

As the -Ber months approached like the winds of change, Star Cinema brings you a romantic road trip movie that serves more like the ultimate bucket list for those who are living a YOLO lifestyle and believing in themselves. Think The Fault In Our Stars meets Seeking a Friend At The End of The World if you prefer but this film is all about the things to do before your fate is sealed and this is something.

Love You to the Stars and Back

Love You to the Stars and Back is about a young girl named Mika (played by Julia Barretto) who decides to go on a road trip to look for aliens because she believes aliens are real and she wants to be taken by one. During her trip, her sudden encounter with a boy named Caloy (played by Joshua Garcia) changes everything and when Mika revealed that Caloy has cancer, it became a road trip to remember.

This film is all about having the best day of your lives before sealing your fate on the line and what makes this film so inspiring in real life that in a world where YOLO became a dominant thing, sometimes you need to get out and go, make the ultimate bucket list before you die, and do like there's no tomorrow. Although this film is worth an inspiration for everyone, some might suggest that the Julia-Joshua tandem may only work in this film only like every one-hit wonders known to many and that's it but never mind about that.

With a unique chemistry and a true inspiration for the YOLO lifestyle, that's what this film delivers, seeing the two characters embarking on a road trip to remember while doing some stuff that were never supposed to do, which sounds exciting and scary at the same time and this is definitely a film that will forever change our lives. You would definitely agree where this film will take you, even if its ugly.

My rating: 3.8 out of 5.

Opel Ampera-e

As Europe is pushing towards an electrified future, more and more carmakers are prepping themselves by launching electric vehicles throughout the decade as their decisive ban on petrol and diesel powered vehicles within the next few decades is Europe's idea of a straight path towards a cleaner future. One such example is this car is known as the Ampera-e from Opel, an electric hatchback pinpoints Europe's electric future or is that what I think it is...

2018 Opel Ampera-e

2018 Opel Ampera-e

It maybe Europe's electric future but the way you observe it, the Ampera-e is basically a European version of the Chevrolet Bolt EV, meaning what's underneath behind the Opel badge is an American car with an electric powertrain that says "Hey Tesla, I'm your biggest fan?" and what's more about the Euro-American compact car is that while this car is sold in a majority of European markets, Great Britain is not on their list and you probably know why they didn't sell it as a Vauxhall. It's BREXIT to blame this case and it's odd despite the fact that it travelled from Piccadilly to Paris in one charge for a marketing ploy, Opel's reluctant to sell it in Britain as of right now due to worsening post-BREXIT conditions and I understand that. With Opel now owned by Peugeot, I'm sure they'll come up with the strategy in the hopes that Opels and Vauxhalls are sold as one in today's Europe, but right now, time to face reality.

2018 Opel Ampera-e interior

If you're familiar with how the Chevrolet Bolt EV looks on the outside and the inside, the same thing goes to the Ampera-e from Opel, just. The Bolt EV carries the concept car looks from the very beginning while the interior is more tech-savvy indeed for the millennials of the road. This is the same thing goes to the Ampera-e, and apart from the well-sculpted exterior and its high-tech interior, the space and legroom is just right enough to accommodate just about everyone.

2018 Opel Ampera-e

What about performance? Because this is sourced from the "fast food nation" as we know it, the Ampera-e's specifications are almost the same as the Bolt EV's. The electric motor that powers it generates a modest 150kW (204PS) of power output and 360Nm of torque. It does about 0-100kph in 7.3 seconds and top speed of 150kph, about 30kph slower than every known Japanese car on the road. Because being an electric car, you can get away from a set of lights quicker than the next car because there's no wheelspin start to worry about and who says electric cars are dull? Electric cars are smart, electric cars are cool, electric cars are great as long as you're not taking it for granted. Like the Bolt EV, the Ampera-e comes with Regen on Demand, which allows the driver to slow it down without using the actual brake pedal with just a shift of a paddle, and a One-Pedal Driving feature that helps the driver transfer energy to the battery in many ways. With such energy-efficient features, it's no wonder the Ampera-e has an full electric range of around 380km under WLTP regulations or 520km based on NEDC calculations.

Energy-wise, the Ampera-e also comes with a wide variety of safety tech such as  Lane Departure Warning, Rear Camera Mirror, Surround Vision, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Side Blind Zone Alert, and Forward Collision Alert, among many other features that makes the electric compact ready for the road ahead.

The Opel Ampera-e is priced at 39,330 Euros, which sounds too much for a compact car of that size, but because of such limited availability in Europe, better have one while you still can because when they're out, they're really out.

With the Ampera-e, Opel joins the electric revolution as Europe prepares for a fossil fuel-free continent for years to come and despite its American connection, the Ampera-e is all about being prepared for the not-too-distant future with its future-ready economy, performance, and tech, that will accommodate today's drivers.

Photo: Opel

Bubble Gang - September 1, 2017 #BGRaid

On the September 1, 2017 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Raid gags

- The urine test spelunking...

- Istambay, Istambay Sa Looban, Bangon Na At Wala Ng Tulugan, Lapit Na Dito Sa'ting Tambayan, Ang Matutulog Ay...BABATUKAN?!

- NGETFLIX presents...PANGET OF THE APES

- Spelling Beks!

- Don't do unnecessary things inside!

- Whistleblower's testimony turns dark

- The conservative

- Basa-basa-pik!

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: American tourist wants to revisit North Korea despite travel ban

Despite the US State Department implementing a travel ban on the Korean Peninsula on Friday, American tourist said he'd be happy to return to North Korea because of its beautiful scenery, great food and friendly locals.

Burkhead, a 35-year-old from Tulsa, Oklahoma, was among the last American tourists to leave North Korea, landing on Thursday at Beijing Capital International Airport. Burkhead arrived in Beijing on North Korea’s state-owned Air Koryo after visiting Pyongyang as well as the city of Kaesong near the heavily armed border with South Korea. His five-day tour cost $2,200.

Other Americans on the flight included two aid workers as well as Jamie Banfill, 32, who had led tours to North Korea but was visiting the country as a tourist.

The United States last month announced a ban on U.S. passport holders from traveling to North Korea, effective Sept. 1. Journalists and humanitarian workers are allowed to apply for exemptions under the ban, which is similar to previous U.S. restrictions on travel to Iraq and Libya.

Source: Reuters

Let's Do The News! (September 1, 2017)

- The House Committee on Dangerous Drugs seeks charges against former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon regarding the 604 kilograms of crystal meth that passed through the Bureau of Customs last May. In addition to Faeldon, the House also intends to file criminal charges against other BoC officials including Neil Estrella, Gerardo Gambala, Milo Maestrecampo, and Attorney Mandy Anderson, Faeldon’s Chief of Staff.

- The Department of Transportation collaborates with the Singaporean government to help ease the ongoing traffic problem in the country. Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and CEO of the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise Kong Wy Mun signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday developing an Intelligent Transport System to reduce traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

- The Court of Appeals has affirmed the expulsion of former Metro Rail Transit Authority general manager Al Vitangcol III over attempts to extort $ 30 million from Czech company Inekon that supplied light rail vehicles.

- Yesterday, the Thai Supreme Court dismissed a case against former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for ordering a deadly crackdown on demonstrators protesting against his government in 2010.

- China's Defense Ministry said that it would strengthen up patrols along a disputed stretch of its border with India, but would also “adjust” deployments, after the two countries ended a more than two-month standoff.

- As US President expresses his condolences to the victims of the Hurricane Harvey in Texas, he's threatening to shut down the government if they don't fund his proposed border wall.

- Need For Speed Payback's joining the casualty of not featuring production Toyotas in-game alongside Forza Motorsport 7.

- Skoda Auto, the Czech division of the Volkswagen Group, plans to launch new models until 2020.

- smart will display their Vision EQ ForTwo Concept at September's Frankfurt Motor Show, demonstrating the future smart's connectivity, autonomous driving, car-sharing, and electric drive.

smart Vision EQ ForTwo Concept

- Celebs Nicholas Hoult and Lily Collins is set to appear in a J.R.R. Tolkien biopic film.

TTFN!!!

Remembering Princess Diana

It was the midnight of the 31st of August, 1997, when a car accident occurred somewhere in Pont de l'Alma and one of the casualties is none other than Princess Diana. The year 2017 marks 20 years since the horrifying death of Princess Diana, a turning point that forever changed the world and it might be the ideal time to have a moment of silence to remember the death of a princess that forever changed the world.

Photo: Getty Images

It all began one fateful summer of 1997 when Princess Diana's glitz and glamour catapulted through the ranks following her divorce and she was planning for a trip to Sarajevo to promote the campaign against landmines. In July, she, Prince William, and Prince Harry arrived at St. Tropez as guests of Harrods owner, Mohamed Al Fayed, and his son Dodi. A month later, her affair with Dodi caught the attention of the paparazzi. The two fly from Sardinia for a their night out at Paris. Diana supposed to return home but she and Dodi are caught off-guard by the paparazzi at the Ritz, owned by Fayed.

Such annoyance prompted Dodi to cancel their dinner reservations as they will return to the Ritz for dinner and drive to his apartment in Paris, thus the car chase between them and the press began in nightfall. In an effort to weave off the press, Dodi summoned two cars as decoys leaving from the Ritz front entrance. He and Diana will leave from the back of a Mercedes S280 saloon with Henri Paul, the Ritz's acting head of security, served as their driver.

As midnight struck on the 31st of August, both Diana and Dodi left the Ritz, caught on CCTV. As the pursuit continues at Pont de l'Alma, Paul clips a Fiat and loses control and with no time to hit the brakes, the car hit the 13th pillar, killing both Dodi and the driver while Dodi's bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, badly hurt. Diana was sent to the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital but suffers a cardiac arrest. At around four in the morning, she died.

Following her shocking death, people in Britain held a moment of silence to pay respects to the late Princess Diana while then-Prime Minister Tony Blair draw flak on the press, warning that any editor who uses paparazzi pictures of her has "blood on his hands today," he said.

It is now 2017 and the world still remembers Princess Diana, who will never be forgotten for all the goodwill she committed through her tenure as the Princess of Wales before her tragic death. While conspiracy theories still lurking around about her untimely death, only history will shed light on this tragedy that forever changed the world and in the case of Princess Diana, truth will always prevail throughout the endless waltz of conspiracies that haunt our minds even on the next generation.

Further reading: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/31/death-of-diana-the-week-that-rocked-britain