Doctor Who 2017 Christmas Special

It's the end of the era for Peter Capaldi as the 2017 Christmas Special, titled Twice Upon A Time, brings an unforgettable sendoff to the Peter Capaldi years as well as showrunner Steven Moffat as this special brings the two Doctors teaming up for one last mission when an army captain got entangled in an unexplained chain of events.

I do try to warn you people who never saw the special need to look away now because there are bits that I'm going to explain and if you don't wan't to know what happens next, I advised you to look away until you saw the rest of the special.

Doctor Who 2017 Christmas Special

The 2017 Christmas Special was one hell of a ride seeing an alpha and omega pair of The First Doctor and the Twelfth Doctor teaming up to uncover a mysterious alien force that got the captain (played by Mark Gatiss) tangled beyond time and space.

Of course, having David Bradley donning the William Hartnell role of the First Doctor is like a tribute band to a legendary rock band from a past and because of his unforgettable role in a 2013 biopic, Adventures In Space And Time, he's more than happy to reprise the First Doctor role in this special.

It's not just Pearl Mackie returning to the special as Bill Potts, in fact, some familiar faces did a brief comeback at the climax of the special such as Jenna Coleman as Clara and Matt Lucas as Nardole. What a brief reunion occured in the final minutes of the Twelfth's tenure.

Since his first adventure in 2014, the Twelfth Doctor made the world of Doctor Who a much serious stance and such serious stance made a huge mark in the history of Doctor Who. It's been quite an honor for us to become the 12th man for the Twelfth because despite his harsh character, he's been quite a valuable part of the Whoniverse and with the inception of Jodie Whitaker, the Whoniverse is heading to a brave new chapter.

Enjoyed the Twelfth Doctor's final journey? Delve more with the recent DW Fan Show webcast.

With Peter Capaldi's tenure ends and with Jodie Whitaker taking over, expect a brave new Doctor Who returning this 2018 and this year could be a pivotal year because this could be the 55th year of the show and the Thirteenth rings it rather well with such milestone. 55 years, over 700 episodes, 13 doctors, what more can you ask? Until then, see you next year.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: North Korea UN ambassador demands US prove ransomware claim

Source: Associated Press

North Korea's envoy in charge of U.S. affairs at the United Nations demanded Washington provide evidence to back up its claim Pyongyang was behind the Wannacry ransomware attack, an allegation has said was a "baseless provocation" being used to generate tensions.

Pak Song Il told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from New York late Monday that Pyongyang sees the allegation as an effort to create an "extremely confrontational atmosphere."

"If they are so sure, show us the evidence," he said.

The WannaCry ransomware attack infected hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide and crippled parts of Britain's National Health Service in May.

U.S. Homeland security adviser Tom Bossert wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed published last week that the U.S. administration had determined North Korea was behind the WannaCry attack. He said its finding of responsibility is based on evidence that has been confirmed by other governments and private companies, including the United Kingdom and Microsoft.

He wrote that North Korea would be held accountable.

North Korea's state-run media quickly condemned the accusation, saying Pyongyang would never tolerate such "reckless" claims. It called Bossert's claim a "grave political provocation" and vowed to retaliate.

Officials in Washington and Seoul have accused the North of launching a series of cyberattacks in recent years, including the hack on Sony Pictures Entertainment over the movie "The Interview," a black comedy about a plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The North has denied those accusations as well.

Let's Do The News! (December 26, 2017)

- President Rodrigo Duterte promises a thorough investigation over the NCCC Mall fire, which left at least 37 people dead two days before Christmas. Duterte said investigators from the National Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine National Police would take charge of the investigation into the fire in the city that the President and his family has led for decades.

- The Philippines considers moving their embassy to Jerusalem, according to reports, a few days after Manila abstained from a United Nations vote calling for the United States to drop its recognition of the Holy City as Israel’s capital. The Philippines was one of the countries abstained from the UN vote to nullify US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem.

- Former health secretary Janette Garin, facing criminal charges over the Dengvaxia controversy, welcomed the World Health Organization's clarification attesting to the “true benefit of the dengue vaccine.” In a statement, she said the Department of Health (DOH) “was correct all along that the dengue vaccine provides protection and is safe to administer to address the growing danger posed by dengue.”

- US President Donald Trump hasn't done any state dinners with his visiting counterparts in his first year at the Oval Office. Trump spoke dismissively of state dinners as a candidate, when he panned President Barack Obama's decision to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping with a 2015 state visit. Such visits are an important diplomatic tool that includes a showy arrival ceremony and an elaborate dinner at the White House.

- Vietnam was sparred from the wrath of Typhoon Vinta (Tembin) that killed 160 people in the Philippines.

- Yesterday, Russian election officials formally barred Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny from running for president, prompting calls from him for a boycott of next year's vote. The Central Election Commission decided unanimously that the anti-corruption crusader isn't eligible to run.

- Audi will reportedly discontinue the R8 supercar in 2020 due to slow sales.

- Teaser for the 25th season of BBC Top Gear is now up.



- Ruby Kurosawa is now added to the Love Live! Sunshine!! figma range. It's now available to order starting at 5,833 Yen plus tax and delivery and arrives this September.



TTFN!!!

GT SPORT: Why the F40 is Ferrari's greatest hero for seven decades?

Ask me anything about which is the best Ferrari ever made over their seven-decade history and my response should be like this, the immaculate Ferrari F40, the supercar that forever known as the founding father of the 200mph supercar club which inspires today's supercars reaching the magic number.



The F40 is one of the recent additions from the GT SPORT's Christmas update and since this is Ferrari's 70th anniversary after all as well as Gran Turismo's 20th anniversary, it would be the ideal time to take a jive out of the legend that started the institution of the world's fastest supercars.



Launched in 1987, the Ferrari F40 became the world's fastest production car with a top speed of 201mph. Not 200, 201 because that prime number at the end of it really is proof that Ferrari is number one when it comes to create a car that will trounce the high-tech Porsche 959. Built to celebrate Ferrari's 40th year, it was the last car to be commissioned by the founder, Enzo Ferrari, before his death. Originally it was made for a limited run of 400 units but because this car is a whopper, about 1,315 models were produced, with the last one being produced in the year 1992.



Apart from the race-inspired exterior and the driver-focused interior has no conveniences whatsoever, the F40 is powered by  a 2.9L V6 twin-turbo engine that produces 478BHP and it can go 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds. Apart from the engine, the F40 is very light and it weighs about 1100kg thanks to the body that was composed of carbon-fiber and Kevlar.



Taking the bite out of the F40, I realized that because this car is stripped out to the core, driving this legend on the first try can be downright troublesome for me. I mean yes, the suspension's harsh, the brakes are intimidating, the ride's intimidating, everything's intimidating for me when it gets through all sorts of trouble but the more I try driving this thing, the better I realize that even the most brutal of attempts will not solve the F40's dynamic character and all I have to do is go with the flow. Having spent an hour driving the F40, now it's time for me to take a real challenge and to do that, I'm going to Brazil.



One piece of Brazil to be precise, Interlagos. It was based in Sao Paulo and it was one of the most technical racetracks in the Latin America. Don't get too distracted by the urban landscape because like I said, this track's technical in every corner and this will be the ideal time for me to see if the F40 lives up to its folklore. Time to roll the tape.



I did it in a 1:55.285 lap time, which isn't the quickest I've ever done in my whole life but still it was less than two minutes to spare, meaning that despite all the mishaps, the F40 really lives up to the legend it was set foot in Ferrari's fiery heritage.



Although what a troublesome experience I had, it's been an honor to try out the legendary Ferrari F40 in GT SPORT and man, what a way to celebrate seven decades of Ferrari and two decades of Gran Turismo by driving the legend in the latest installment courtesy of the Christmas update. Of course, there are many great Ferraris made over the last seven decades but rest assured, this legend holds a very special place in the Prancing Horse's history.

Suzuki XBEE

With the crossover market continuing to expand through astronomical heights, seems that a small Japanese car company like Suzuki isn't lagging behind when it comes to following today's motoring trends. Sure, they have crossovers like the Escudo, the SX4 S-Cross, the Ignis, and the kei-crossover known as the Hustler. Now, looks like Suzuki added another one to their crossover portfolio and this one's somewhat interesting.

2018 Suzuki XBEE

2018 Suzuki XBEE

Yes, this is Suzuki's Christmas present to the motoring public, it's a new crossover compact car and it's called the XBEE (pronounced cross bee). If the XBEE looks somewhat familiar to you, consider this; it's somewhat a mashup between the Hustler on the front and the Ssangyong Tivoli Air on the back, making this a crossover that is too hard to describe what's what.

2018 Suzuki XBEE interior

2018 Suzuki XBEE interior

On the inside, the XBEE is nothing beyond ordinary except for the cylindrical dashboard that looks like it came from either a Mini or a Mustang but whatever, questionable dashboard aside, the interior's pretty rugged indeed for the adventurous of few and customers can choose one of three accents on their waterproof seats such as yellow, orange, and ivory. With the waterproof seats which are as smooth as a crocodile's skin, it has decent space on the back that fits through all kinds of situations. You can fit from 525 to 1,305mm of boot space depending on the seat variation, which is very ample for a compact crossover of this size.

2018 Suzuki XBEE

The XBEE may be a little crossover but the little K10C 1.0L petrol engine has some zest to this nippy little rascal. The engine may be from the Baleno and so is its 6-speed automatic transmission but it's been given an Integrated Starter Generator linked to a Li-ion battery capable of reaching 22kmpl of fuel efficiency based on JC08 Mode standards and it's not just the nippy little engine and its fuel efficiency measure that benefits the XBEE, it's the HEARTECT platform that promises a lighter and more rigid ride very decent by Suzuki crossover standards.

For 4WD variants, the XBEE comes with four driving modes such as SPORT, SNOW, GRIP CONTROL, and HILL DESCENT, something akin to Suzuki's Euro imports such as the Escudo and the SX4 S-CROSS.

The XBEE is also the next to incorporate the SUZUKI SAFETY SUPPORT first introduced on the recently launched Spacia. It comes with a Lane Departure Warning, Driver Detection, High Beam Assist, Road Sign Recognition, and an advance car departure notice function. omnidirectional monitoring camera that can detect both sides of the car and an around view monitor, Emergency Stop Signal, Hill Hold Control, Dual Sensor Brake Support, False Start Suppression Control, backward erroneous start suppression function, and ultrasonic sensors in the rear bumper to detect obstacles behind the vehicle.

Price? The XBEE starts at 1,765,800 Japanese Yen, which is more expensive than the Ignis and the Hustler but more affordable than the Escudo, making it a bargain boomer in its own right, especially when it wants to make some negotiations with rivals such as the Honda Vezel and the Toyota C-HR. Sure, the XBEE may be the big brother of the Hustler but it can do some good things a compact car can do in its free time. Whether you can drive this one at work or in the middle of your day off, every day is an adventure for the XBEE. Man, I hope that sums it all up about the XBEE. Better wrap it up before some Third World gooks sniff their way on this latest Suzuki crossover.

Photo: Suzuki Motor Corporation

Let's Do The News! (December 25, 2017)

- Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, the son of President Rodrigo Duterte, has stepped down from his position amid his involvement in the smuggling of illegal drugs into the country. In making the announcement, Duterte stunned members of the city of council of Davao City which was meeting just after ferocious blaze devoured a mall and killed more than three dozen people over the weekend.

- The National Bureau of Investigation was tasked to investigate the mall fire in Davao City. In a statement released Monday, Aguirre said he asked the NBI to identify if there was any criminal liability to the blaze which killed 37 lives. The NBI was also directed to file charges against parties deemed responsible for the incident.

- Thousands of villagers in Mindanao spent their Christmas morning in emergency shelters as the region dealt with the aftermath of Typhoon Vinta. Right now, the death toll from Vinta has risen to 200.

- 20 people have been killed when a passenger bus bound for a northern city collided with a southbound jeepney in Agoo in La Union province early Monday.

- Pope Francis in Christmas Eve remarks Sunday likened the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem to the migrations of millions of people today who are forced to leave homelands for a better life, or just for survival, and he expressed hope that no one will feel "there is no room for them on this Earth."

- Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni plans to deploy antiterrorism military forces in Niger over the next few months.

- Ferrari threatens to pull out from Formula 1 and start its own motorsport series.

- Tesla CEO Elon Musk is launching an old Tesla Roadster to outer space.

- Comiket 98 will be held during Golden Week 2020 at Tokyo Big Sight due to Tokyo 2020 Olympics and this event is part of the larger Doujin Japan 2020 project.

TTFN!!!

Toyota Alphard and Vellfire (H30W) - 2018 minor change

The current-generation Toyota Alphard and Vellfire luxury minivans have been on the road for two years now and like today's Toyota Harrier SUV, these minivans, commonly smuggled in Southeast Asian countries, are glad to be available in official Toyota dealerships, although there are still those prefer to smuggle one because it has bits and bobs their local Toyota dealers don't. No matter the status, these minivans have been the talk of the town because of their unparalleled luxuriousness no other minivan has to offer. At last, there are new versions that will change the course of these current-generation models.

2018 Toyota Alphard

2018 Toyota Vellfire

There's no need to explain everything about these two because every minivan fanatics, especially smugglers from Southeast Asia, are familiar with the Toyota Alphard and Vellfire minivans because different looks aside, they boast the same luxuriousness, the same performance, and the same expensive price tag and with the 2018 minor change, there's something to look out for these updated models starting with the exterior design where everything's gone from "get out of my way" to "GET OUT OF MY WAY" with all caps on because the new face really is shouty indeed and even shoutier in aero variants. Now that's some strong image implemented on these new models.

2018 Toyota Alphard interior

2018 Toyota Vellfire interior

Inside, there have been some substantial changes happening as hinted by the revised steering wheel, the new instrumental panel, new wood panels, and the new Executive Lounge variant featuring a black and white interior, Nappa leather, and specially trimmed second rear seats. Changes aside, they're still as luxurious as they were two years ago because they come with a wide array of luxurious conveniences such as the rear entertainment system, LED lighting, reading light, a choice of seven or eight seats, and much more. Everything you enjoy about the Alphard and Vellfire is all here and you can toy around with these luxury features as much as you like.

2018 Toyota Alphard

2018 Toyota Vellfire

For base variants, it's powered by the 2.5L 2AR-FE engine which produces 182PS of power and 235Nm of torque. Couple that with the Super CVT-i (with 7-speed manual mode) and an idling stop feature and you can expect up to 12.8km/L of fuel economy as calculated by JC08 Mode standards. For hybrid variants, meanwhile, it's powered by a 2AR-FXE 2.5L Atkinson-cycle engine connected with two electric motors, generating a total output of a modest 197PS of power output and an improved fuel economy of up to 19.4km/L, depending on the variant.

Now, this is getting interesting because the 3.5L V6 on these variants are brand new because the Alphard and the Vellfire use the all-new 2GR-FKS 3.5L V6 petrol engine with VVT-iW (Variable Valve. Timing-intelligent Wide), DIS (Direct Ignition System), ACIS (Acoustic Control Induction System) and ETCS-i (Electronic Throttle Control System-intelligent). This engine produces 301PS and that produces more power than the Chrysler Pacifica, hence making this the most powerful minivan, pause, in the world. Mated with an 8-speed AT, the fuel consumption is now up to 10.8km/L by JC08 mode standards. Such improvement.

The 2018MY Alphard and Vellfire are the first to implement the second-generation Toyota Safety Sense suite of driver assists featuring an improved Pre-Collision System with the ability to detect pedestrians both day and nighttime as well as cyclists during the day, Lane Tracing Assist, Lane Departure Alert, and Road Sign Assist. Along with a wide variety of safety features available, these updated minivans set the standards to become the safest luxury MPVs on the market and you can't argue with the results.

Both of these models are now available to order starting at 3,354,480 Japanese Yen and arriving in dealerships this January, with the Alphard being on the Toyopet dealerships and the Vellfire on the Netz dealerships. So, with the shouty exterior, more luxurious interior, new V6 engine, and added safety, there are plenty of reasons why some of you are dying to get your sweaty hands on these updated minivans. In fact, most of you wanted to smuggle one for keeps. Go ahead. Get greedy because these minivans are causing a stir across Asia and like today's Harrier, you have a choice; wait for your local Toyota distributor to sell it officially and legally or smuggle one to get ahead of the pack while drawing the heat from the customs.

Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation