Saturday, July 1, 2017

Baby Driver

The first half of 2017 brought us some car movies to whet our petrolhead appetite such as The Fate of the Furious, Transformers: The Last Knight, and Cars 3. However, with those car movies more than enough to crave our love for fast cars, there is nothing than more so than having another car movie that is somewhat unique for the young petrolhead.

Baby Driver

Starring Ansel Elgort, House of Cards' Kevin Spacey, Lily James, John Bernthal, Eiza Gonzalez, Jon Hamm, and Jamie Foxx, Baby Driver centers on a young getaway driver who wants to retire from his life of crime upon a fateful encounter with a young woman. However, when he was coerced to work for the head of a crime family, his fate has thrown into a tailspin as a failed robbery threatened his life, love, and freedom. Quite a story, isn't it?

Of all the car chase movies you've witnessed in a lifetime, Baby Driver is very different because it's like Fast and Furious meets The Transporter (pun intended) and the real credit for Baby Driver's car action thrill goes to the car the Baby Driver drove in the movie, a second-generation Subaru Impreza WRX. Sure, there is a Dodge Challenger in this movie, but him being on a Subie is as closest thing as you get when you mash two of your favorite car action movies into one unique film that is all about cars, coffee, robbers, cops, and the driving music provided for your driving pleasure.

You might think it's mad to say that it's a millennial take on classic car chase films but for Baby Driver, despite this film has some scratches that can't be wiped off with a chamois, this is one of the main reason why we love a good car movie but with Subaru doing a good job collaborating with this film, one thing springs up the mind of every Subarist watching this film, if the star car is the old second-generation Subaru WRX, why they didn't go for the newer 2018 WRX? No one really knows why but Subarists should better watch it and enjoy like it's another Fast and Furious or Transporter. Who knows, they might like it.

My rating: 3.4 out of 5.

Bubble Gang - June 30, 2017 #BGGroupSexy

In the June 30, 2017 episode of Bubble Gang...

- "Di na mag-extend" gags

- Welcome to an all-Filipino restaurant where everything's Filipino even as we speak


- People on the street are chattering about a retard

- Serial killers bragging each other in jail time

- A different kind of phobia

- Today's Balitang Ina takes on single moms

- More men seeking advice with Group Sexy.

- Basa-basa-pik!

Despicable Me 3

Raise your bananas, minions of all sizes, because Gru and the gang are back for their third installment of the Despicable Me films, and this time, things are going to get even despicable for our lovable supervillain, his three adopted girls, and his gang of minions we all know and love. So, what's going around here?

Despicable Me 3

Anyway, Despicable Me 3, what's going on around in this new film? Well, after Gru (played by comedian Steve Carell) and Lucy (Kristen Wiig) got kicked out from the Anti-Villainy League after a certain misfit, Gru is now broke and he has to evict from his evil lair he called home along with the girls and the minions. With no one to turn to, Gru unexpectedly encounters his long-lost twin brother named Dru. Oh, brother. Thanks to him, Gru is back to one thing he does best, being an evil supervillain plotting for world domination, but to do that, they'll have to overcome their differences and team up to take down a rival supervillain named Balthazar (played by South Park creator Trey Parker), a child star from the 1980's.

This film has some back-to-basics approach and because Gru is back at being a supervillain, Despicable Me 3 is like starting over from the beginning, only this time with the added comical relief with the addition of the guy who made South Park playing the role of a rival supervillain bent on world domination. Thank goodness for that even though this film, like the other installments, is suffered from the same whimsical cuteness that is so totally zoned out from start to finish. It maybe decent for a normal moviegoer but as a family movie, it's relatively superior and with all the Minion rush in store for this film, life couldn't get even more relatable than that.

Safe to say, the hilarity that you expect from Gru and his minions are back and even though they can get easily zoned out from the whimsical nonsense this film delivers from start to finish, it has some good vibes that smiles everyone who spend the whole week of stress and what a way to start the weekend right with Despicable Me 3.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

WHOA! The world is prepared for a colossal Crash event as everyone's favorite marsupial misfit has returned with three remastered classics that made Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy one of the most anticipated games in the summer while stirring up some childhood memories we love about one of the most iconic video game characters in history.

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

Yes, after a long period of time, the iconic Crash Bandicoot is back with this fresh new take on three iconic installments everyone will enjoy ranging from the original Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, and Crash Bandicoot WARPED. All three of these classics have been beautifully recreated and remastered in what they called it "N. Hanced Fur-K." That's Enhanced 4K to you if you got your PS4 Pro with you at home, but it's not just the beautiful recreation we're looking forward to, aside from the new cinematics, animation, lighting, and the music returned and recharged for the N. Sane Trilogy, because what we're looking at here is a revival of the trilogy and everything we know about these will get thrown out into hyperspace and we are going to play our familiar classics the next-generation way!

Playing with these games is like a step back to nostalgia. Like you and I, fans got hooked over exploring through beaches, ancient villages, tundras, pyramids, Ancient China, underwater, the future, heck they get even chased by giant creatures or ride cute little critters like the polar bear and the cute little tiger named Pura. They even also battle some of the rogue gallery of villains like Papu Papu, Ripper Roo, Pinstripe, the Komodo Bros., Tiny Tiger, N. Gin, N. Tropy, you name the rest, especially Crash's archnemesis, Dr. Neo Cortex. With this N. Sane Trilogy, it's like they're doing this stuff over and over again, even better, and when we say better, they really mean it. 

In addition to recreate some of the stuff we love about Crash, it comes with special extras such as full analog stick support, unified save and checkpoint system so you won't forget where you did it when the inevitable hits you from nowhere, improved bonus levels, and time trials. If you recall WARPED, there was a time trial segment where you have to beat the clock to score a relic, am I right?  But this is more than just relic hunting because no matter the game, all these levels had a leaderboard system to see how fast you cleared a level in addition to finding crystals and gems (once you cleared all the boxes, including those that you're not supposed to bump into such as TNT and Nitro crates).

There's more! Back in WARPED, you can only play as Coco in levels where you have to ride a tiger through Ancient China and jetski, but with this one, you can play Crash's sister, in all three games! Yep, you heard that right, all three games. Just add some twist to this classic series.

So, after years of waiting for this to return for next-generation console gaming, the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is the one game we've been longing for one of the classic game icons desperate for a comeback and it's a clear example of what do you get when classic franchises that were dormant for so many years have been summoned again to do one last job. Most of the long-time fans of the series are having tears of joy, knowing that their favorite marsupial hero is back for one last job to keep the fans happy and I know that. Let's hope the forgotten ones will do the same as Crash for the sake of nostalgia and by making reborn classics better, the end result is a nostalgia all spiced up for those who are new to the classics. Nothing says making it more accessible to anyone than this.

If you are familiar with Crash Bandicoot, buy one now before anyone else does and see if the N. Sane Trilogy brings back the stuff you love about the games as well as the places, the sound, villains, and the WHOA!!!

Friday, June 30, 2017

Third-generation Honda Fit - 2018 Minor Change

Honda's best-seller compact car, the third-generation Fit, is now made even better with improved design and now comes with a wide array of safety tech built for the roads of today. So, let's find out what's changed for the third-generation Honda Fit, which is now in its 2018 model year.

2018 Honda Fit
2018 Honda Fit
2018 Honda Fit
New for 2018 model year, the Fit features a new front face as well as its redesigned rear bumper, LED lighting, and newly designed alloy wheels. In the case of sporty models such as the HYBRID S and the RS (the one with the 6-speed manual gearbox in it), it comes with even more aggressive styling from beginning to end.

2018 Honda Fit interior
2018 Honda Fit interior
2018 Honda Fit interior


Inside, there are little changes occurred with the hybrid variants now come with a new Premium Brown interior color but what's noticing is the hardware in the dashboard as the optional InterNavi navigation system now comes with smartphone connectivity that works with Apple via CarPlay and Android via Android Auto.

As always, the normal petrol range still comes with the choice of 1.3L DOHC i-VTEC (with the fuel economy of 24.6km/L on the JC08 Mode cycle) and a more powerful 1.5L i-VTEC with direct injection that delivers 132PS of power. On the hybrid variant, the Sport Hybrid i-DCD powertrain has been slightly improved so that now it has a fuel economy of 37.2km/L, 0.8km/L more than the pre-facelift model. Apart from that, the 2018 Fit is now even more comfortable courtesy of its more rigid body structure and revised dampers.

The true beauty of its minor change is the addition of Honda Sensing which comprises of Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), autonomous Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Road Departure Warning (RDW) and Mitigation (RDM), false start suppression, traffic sign detection and a vehicle start warning. Truth be told, the new Fit is becoming even more accessible for everyone who wished to have a car in the beginning.

The new 2018 Honda Fit starts at 1,428,840 ($15,000) for the base 13G F model while the Hybrid starts at 1,699,920 Yen ($17,000).

Available colors: Rouge Amethyst Metallic, Brilliant Sporty Blue Metallic, Skyride Blue Metallic, Premium Agate Brown Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl, Premium Yellow Pearl II, Premium Crystal Red Metallic, Premium White Pearl II, Midnight Blue Beam Metallic, Luna Silver Metallic, Shining Grey Metallic, and Sunset Orange II.

Photo: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Let's Do The News! (June 30, 2017)



- President Rodrigo Duterte didn't care whether people give him a failing or passing grade in his first year in office today. The President has said he is not the kind of person who gives praises to himself but he entrusts it to the people to judge his performance in the last year.

- Relations between the Philippines and China have entered a "golden period of fast development", according to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, touting growth in trade and efforts to settle disputes in the South China Sea.

- The United Coconut Planters Bank management is asking the Philippine Coast Guard to release its employees who were barred in Cagayan de Oro City for allegedly trying to smuggle 32 million pesos in cash.

- The Trump administration reversed a decision late on Thursday as its revised travel ban took effect and said fiancés would be considered close family members and therefore allowed to travel to the United States. The U.S. State Department concluded “upon further review, fiancés will now be included as close family members,” said a State Department official who requested anonymity.

- Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump used his twitter to draw flak against news reporter Mika Brzezinski, tweeting she was "bleeding badly from a facelift" while at a New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago. Republicans rebuked the President's sexist tweet and Senator Lindsey Graham added that his tweet was beneath the office and "represents what is wrong with American politics, not the greatness of America."

- Hong Kong authorities released 26 pro-democracy protesters arrested on the eve of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the city to mark the 20th anniversary of its handover from Britain to China.

- Aston Martin unveiled the Vulcan AMR Pro at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed. It features extensive aerodynamic enhancements and shortened gearing to produce increased downforce, greater responsiveness and reduced lap times.

2018 Aston Martin Vulcan AMR Pro

- Jake Zyrus, the self-confessed transgender man who used to be Charice Pempengco, admits that he or she is open for the possibility of sex change.

- PTV-4 news anchor Kathy San Gabriel recounts how the state-run TV network terminated her contract without prior notice or grounds. Kathy has been a news anchor on this station for over a decade. According to her Facebook post, she was notified by the management that this day, June 30, will be her final day.

- Check out the trailer for the Netflix original movie Death Note, before it's available this 25th of August.



TTFN!!!

Hyundai Kona

SUVs, the automotive equivalent of obesity, and by this decade 50% of the cars sold worldwide are mostly SUVs, meaning the cars of today are getting fatter and fatter and in the case of crossovers in the world, it's a case of "Supersize Me" in near-biblical proportions. However, there are some SUVs that doesn't look like they're suffering from automotive obesity and they behave like pretty much like normal city cars and in the case of Hyundai, their latest offering will make you go hmmm.

2018 Hyundai Kona

Meet the Kona, Hyundai's first-ever compact SUV sold in the Korean market it's known to be a cheaper alternative to their latest offerings such as the Tucson, the Santa Fe, and the Maxcruz. The name "Kona" comes from a tropical island located in Hawaii, in the tradition of calling their crossovers from American cities, and while it sounds like it's made to brew up your Monday brews like the finest beers from Kona Brewing (pun intended), you would never dare to say "Kona" and "me" on the same sentence because the result will be rather, let's just say depressing.

Depressing aside, the exterior of the Kona is somewhat a mashup between the Jeep Cherokee and the Citroen C4 Cactus and the end result is a compact crossover is promises to be proven around the world while it looks so rugged, don't be fooled that this is basically a front-wheel drive car and cross-country isn't its specialty for the Kona. Although cross-country isn't its specialty, trailblazing and city driving are what matters for this compact crossover and that is just half of the story.

2018 Hyundai Kona interior

2018 Hyundai Kona interior

For a robust exterior, the Kona features a much premium, yet spacious interior that is very accommodating even for compact crossover standards. It may be small but its five-seating capacity sounds very promising for first-time buyers and its real beauty lies in its boot space that can accommodate the list of creature comforts you bought at your nearest grocery and for some extra stuff, the rear seats can be folded flat to accommodate bigger stuff, especially stuff you would need for your grandma's birthday party at a nearby three-star hotel.

As a car designed for millennials, the Kona features smartphone connectivity that is compatible with your iPhones or Androids (via MirrorLink). It even has a wireless phone charger, the HUD is where it should be in the windscreen's safe zone for health and safety purposes, KRELL Premium Surround System, and much more. That stuff you would commonly get on luxury cars is right here in this smart and tiny little compact SUV built with young urban professionals in mind.

2018 Hyundai Kona

The Kona utilizes a brand new platform that promises to utilize its four-wheel drive layout without sacrificing interior space and in the case of this compact crossover, it handles like a city car, contrary to popular belief about SUVs being obese in the handling department. For a crossover of this size, the Kona really is somewhat above average for a fun-to-drive car but under normal circumstances, it is not too bad at all.

Under the bonnet, the Kona comes with two engine powerplants such as the 1.6L diesel engine which produces 133PS of power and 30.6kg-m of torque while the more powerful and very nippy Gamma 1.6L T-GDi engine produces 177PS of power and 27kg-m of torque, all mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Take note that only the T-GDi variant of the Kona has a four-wheel drive that suits perfectly well on any road condition at any weather condition, making it the ideal trailblazing partner for your quiet Sunday drives.

For safety, the Kona comes prepared with Hyundai SmartSense which comes with an array of safety tech such as Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, High Beam Assist, Driver Attention Warning, Blind Spot Collision Warning, and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning, among many others.

Should you buy it? The Kona starts at 18,950,000 Korean Won and this is the cheapest SUV in the lineup. You can really afford one for starters but in comparison against noteworthy rivals in this category such as the Nissan Juke, Toyota C-HR, the Mitsubishi RVR, Honda Vezel, Peugeot 2008, Ssangyong Tivoli, and the others, can the Kona really stacks up. I think it can because with its handy-capable four-wheel drive, its nippy turbocharged engine, above-average potential in the handling department, and its wide array of tech in store, the Kona might just be one of the most demanding compact crossovers of this late decade and because summer's already here, the Kona is always prepared for any kind of season for the drivers because, for this one, it's going to be a long holiday for this newcomer.

Available colors: Chalk White, Rake Silver, Velvet Dawn, Dark Night, Phantom Black, Blue Lagoon, Ceramic Blue, Tangerine Comet, Pulse Red, and Acid Yellow.

Photo: Hyundai Motor Company

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Let's Do The News! (June 29, 2017)



- In his speech during the 120th anniversary of Presidential Security Group, President Rodrigo Duterte told soldiers not to hesitate to kill criminals, even in the mid of civilians.

- The Armed Forces of the Philippines believes that Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon’s abandonment of Marawi City, Lanao Del Sur, is a sign of cowardice. This, after the military received report that Hapilon has left the war zone, which the military continues to verify.

- The Philippine National Police are now in custody of the seven persons of interest in last night's Bulacan massacre. Supt. Fitz Macariola, Acting City Police Chief of, San Jose Del Monte is not dropping the possibility that two of the seven ‘persons of interest’ are responsible in the killings of the family.

- Across the United States, communities are coming together and hold events in honor of Vietnam War veterans. It's a government-led initiative engaging 10,000 event partners ranging from the Boy Scouts of America to the NFL and their goal is to send message to Vietnam vets thanking them for their service.

- Audi made surprise appearances during the premiere event of the upcoming Spider-Man Homecoming movie.

- The Rolls-Royce Dawn gets a new Black Badge version, which adds 30HP of power to its 6.6L V12 BiTurbo engine, resulting to 593HP of power output, as well as featuring updated dynamics, updated transmission, and black paint all over the car.

2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge

- Peugeot unveiled their 3008 DKR Maxi raid car and it will make its first appearance at the Silk Way Rally from the 7th to the 22nd of July.

Peugeot 3008 DKR Maxi

- Top Gear America will premiere on BBC America on the 30th of July. The revived American version will be hosted by William Fichtner, Antron Brown, and Tom "Wookie" Ford.

- A man threw a flare during last weekend's Keyakizaka46 handshake event. While the flare was quickly extinguished and no one was injured, authorities allegedly found that the man had a fruit knife, and Chiba Prefectural Police arrested the suspect for violation of the Swords and Firearms Control Law.

- Also happened last weekend, Fukuoka authorities arrested a man for suspicion of violating the anti-stalker law. The male person allegedly loitering suspiciously near the residence of an 18-year-old HKT48 idol group member.

TTFN!!!

THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS LITTLE STARS! SUN♡FLOWER

Enjoyed the Cinderella Girls Gekijo shorts? Well, there's the third closing theme song now ready to let your summer vibes flowing with good ones courtesy of the highlights of this latest single.

THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS
LITTLE STARS! SUN♡FLOWER

The latest CG Gekijou closing song is titled SUN♡FLOWER and the stars of this latest single are Mio Honda (CV: Sayuri Hara), Sanae Katagiri (CV: Azumi Waki), Shin Sato (CV: Yumiri Hanamori), and Mika Jougasaki (CV: Haruka Yoshimura). Not only the whole song is featured but it's got solo versions performed by each of the featured Cinderella Girls on this album. When you're finished, get ready for the special track performed from one of the Cinderella Girls you are familiar with.

The Cinderella Girls Gekijou anime shorts air every Tuesday nights at 10:55 PM JST on Tokyo MX.

TRACK LISTINGS:

  1. SUN♡FLOWER
  2. SUN♡FLOWER 本田未央ソロ・リミックス
  3. SUN♡FLOWER 片桐早苗ソロ・リミックス
  4. SUN♡FLOWER 佐藤心ソロ・リミックス
  5. SUN♡FLOWER 城ヶ崎美嘉ソロ・リミックス
  6. SUN♡FLOWER 諸星きらりソロ・リミックス
  7. SUN♡FLOWER オリジナル・カラオケ
  8. きらりんロボのテーマ

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Let's Do The News! (June 28, 2017)



- The Philippine military said it was likely that large numbers of civilians had been killed during the five-week occupation of Marawi by Islamist rebels, due to "atrocities" by the militants allied with Islamic State. The death toll of 27 residents was only what the authorities could independently confirm and a "significant number" of dead had been seen by those who had escaped fighting.

- President Rodrigo Duterte lashes out against his critics over rumors on what he was out of the limelight in recent days.

- Qatar's 2022 World Cup organizers welcomed the long-awaited FIFA report on the race to host the tournament. The report, which also investigated the bidding process for the 2018 World Cup, made no suggestion that either Russia or Qatar should lose the right to stage the tournament, despite detailing numerous attempts to influence voting officials.

- US Senate Republicans postponed a vote on a health care overhaul after resistance from members of their own party, and President Donald Trump summoned Republican senators to the White House to urge them to break the impasse. The delay put the future of a longtime top Republican priority in doubt amid concerns about the Senate bill from both moderate and conservative Republicans.

- Indonesian authorities imposes a travel ban against tycoon and politician Hary Tanoesoedibjo, who is building resorts to be managed by Trump hotels, over an investigation into allegations he threatened a prosecutor via a text message.

- Aston Martin announced that the electric saloon called the RapidE will commence production this 2019 with limited to 155 units. Also, the DB11 is now available with the Mercedes-AMG derived 4.0L V8 BiTurbo.

2018 Aston Martin DB11 V8

- Jaguar unveiled the XE SV Project 8, a 150,000 Pound V8-powered Jaguar XE that is limited to 300 units and helmed as the most powerful Jaguar ever made. It's also the most hardcore Jaguar ever built with track-honed dynamics and 1,745kg of weight.

2018 Jaguar XE SV Project 8

- Celebs James Van Der Beek and Lauren Graham will star in an upcoming Disney Junior series Vampirina, coming this autumn.

- CHECK OUT the visual for the upcoming second series of the Love Live Sunshine TV anime!

TTFN!!!

Forza Horizon 3: Baby Jag born again

By the time you laid your hands on the Jaguar XE on Forza Horizon 3's Duracell Car Pack, you might start asking how in the name of all things bright and beautiful is this baby Jaguar doing here even though it comes with the similar supercharged V6 engine as the F-Pace you tried out moments ago. To explain what I'm on about, let's investigate what's it all about the rebirth of the baby Jag.



When Jaguar once made the X-Type in the last decade, they wanted to make a car that can compete against the BMW 3-Series but because of its Ford-derived platform and front-wheel drive, it was a disaster and they killed it. Fast forward to this decade and Jaguar's back in making a 3-Series rival in the form of the new XE. Launched in 2015, it was the first Jaguar to use a brand new platform that will be used in upcoming models for cost-saving measures. With this, the aluminum bodywork, and rear-wheel drive, the XE is the most important car in the Jaguar range. For the time being, the top-of-the-line model comes with the 3.0L Supercharged V6 engine derived from the F-Type. With the 8-speed automatic gearbox present, it produces 340PS of power and 450Nm of torque. 0-60mph takes about 4.9 seconds and top speed electronically limited to 155mph.



As you'd expect, the Jaguar XE is no X-Type on the contrary and because this car is surprisingly lighter than the Germans, it was no surprise that the XE handles like a Jag and despite having problems with that electric power steering in terms of handling sharply, you can really get hooked on this baby Jag as long as you want and because this is Horizon, you have endless possibilities to do with the XE as I shall now demonstrate.





See what I did to the XE? I've experiment with this car using a supercharged V8 because I just heard that Jaguar are doing some kind of experiment to inject their supercharged V8 engine for their limited-edition XE reserved for the privileged few so I reckon I can do the same thing...sorta. Apart from that, my test subject car is donning a special kind of design I made just for this. What? Don't know this face? That's Aikatsu Stars' Mahiru, now donning her sister's S4 uniform after claiming her sister's spot and become her successor. Anyway, long story short but this is the kind of thing I'm reflecting on this case study and with the test subject XE in question armed with the supercharged V8 and four-wheel drive, along with the very cute design to lure them to its trap, looks like its ready to spin its wheels and have a shot at it. Oh, and better get your headphones ready because I'm sure you're going to love it.



Man that noise is so cool, makes me want to listen to it over and over again but anyway, while the electric power steering upsets the 4WD setup on my test subject, unless you master limited-slip differential knowledge, it's a clear reminder that this kind of experiment with its howling V8 engine powering all four wheels is the kind of simulation that I expect from the folks from Jaguar and because it's ready to unleash their kind of XE to the public, nothing like simulating the future by creating one and looks like I'm looking forward to it.

In the meantime, let's look back at the XE. In its stock form, it wasn't so bad to drive but with the little creativity, just imagine how much untapped potential you can come up with that baby Jag and if you get used to your creation, you're going to get hooked with it over and over until it needs refining. The more you know and that's how you do with your new Jaguar XE in the Land Down Under only here on FH3.

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

FH3 Hot Wheels: Queenly Majesty

When the last time we encounter this "queenly majesty" in the nightlife of Hot Wheels Thrilltopia, I was thrilled that my kind of Porsche Panamera wanted to join the thrills and spills of Thrilltopia while giving me a total misery this "perfect queen" wanted me to do.



I don't really know why but this calls for a Bon Bon Voyage for me and the queen taking a summer vacation at Thrilltopia.



You may remember this second-generation Porsche Panamera Turbo that I tried back moments ago and then later transformed into the "perfect queen" with the gift of the "queenly majesty" to bow the eyes of beholders. That's Miss Elza Forte to you, by the way, but as the Tailor of Panamera returned for duty, it's my job to keep her entertained during our long summer holiday...unless you found out that summer happened months ago and it's already winter.



This "perfect queen" knows how to enjoy a little Game of Thrones here on Thrilltopia and she's very pleased. Very very pleased.

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



- The Philippines ruled out negotiations with the Islamist militants holding hostages and occupying a southern town after reports that a rebel leader wanted to trade a Catholic priest for his parents being held by police. Reports told that Abdullah Maute, one of two brothers who formed the militant group carrying their name, had told religious emissaries on Sunday that he wanted his mother and father freed in return for Father Teresito “Chito” Soganub, vicar general of Marawi. Soganub and over a hundred Christians are being held by the insurgents as human shields.

- Vice President Leni Robredo revealed that the refugees from Marawi wish to return home. Robredo said that every escapee, or bakwit, she talked with had said that they are feeling impatient inside the evacuation center and are eager to return home.

- The members of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and Land Transportation Office arrested jeepney drivers who are not using headlights while traversing the southern section of Metro Manila and Novaliches.

- The recent Congressional Budget Office analysis of the Senate's version of "Trumpcare", which Senator Mitch McConnell wants to vote on as early as this Thursday, revealed that this healthcare, when passed, within a decade sees #321 billion reduction to the federal deficit, 22 million more Americans would be uninsured, 15 million fewer people would be enrolled in Medicaid, and overall health care costs would increase.

- Three journalists from CNN have been resigned after the publication of a Russia-related article that was later retracted. The Russia-related story, published on Thursday, reported Congress was investigating the ties of a Russian investment fund to an aide of U.S. President Donald Trump. It was deleted a day later after its investigation when certain editorial processes weren't followed when the article was published.

- No one has won Mongolia’s presidential election on Monday, forcing the country’s first ever second-round run-off between the two leading candidates, the country’s General Election Committee said of Tuesday. The populist former martial arts star Khaltmaa Battulga from the Democratic Party won the popular vote but failed to secure the majority required.

- Sota Fujii, a 14-year-old shogi player, has a record of 29 straight wins, breaking a record held for three decades.

- The third-generation BMW X3 has been officially unveiled, with the M40i served as the ranger-topper of this new model.

2018 BMW X3

- The Seat Arona was unveiled and this is their first compact SUV that will slot below the Ateca.

2018 Seat Arona

- In case you missed it, Takata, yesterday, filed for bankruptcy protection after it can't cope up with the most devastating auto safety crisis in history. The China-owned Key Safety Systems said it would buy Takata's factories for about 1.6 billion dollars. The deal effectively means the end of Takata, which was established in 1933 and is still controlled by its founding family.

TTFN!!!

Forza Horizon 3: Baby Back Rib Driver

In the movie Baby Driver, a young man was hired by a crime syndicate to become their getaway driver and the car he drives in this movie is a red Subaru WRX. Of course, you can see him driving a Dodge Challenger but the WRX is the star of Baby Driver and I would like to honor this film by filling his boy racer shoes on this kind of Subie you can see on this film, right here on Forza Horizon 3.



Uh, you know what, the Subie WRX STi we had in this game is better than the WRX the Baby Driver drove in the film. Seen here is a GDB-F Subaru Impreza WRX STi, the final facelifted version of the second-generation WRX STi first launched in 2005 and while it remains mechanically the same as the previous GDB-Type II WRX STi, the front face is donned with Subaru's old trademark grille penned by a former Alfa Romeo designer which traces back to the company's airplane roots. It was powered by the same EJ20 engine as any other WRX STi models you are familiar with, producing 311HP of power and same amount of torques while mated with a 6-speed manual gearbox and this was one of the Japanese emerged from the mid-2000's when the 280HP limit set up by the Japanese government was lifted so carmakers are free to add whatever power they want.



Although this is different than the Baby Driver's Subie, it still behaves just like one and you can imagine how much reenactment you can do with it if you watch this film this weekend. With all that rally-proven performance, this Subie is all about getting its tires dirty while letting its all-wheel drive magic do its thing on and off the road and in the Baby Driver's case, you'll need some mad skills to pull one off in your sleeves.



Speaking of which, let me take that so-called Baby Driver car for a spin round Surfers Paradise with the other Subarists while I, the Baby Back Rib Driver, making the case with this Subie just to see if I can get mad driving with it. Get your coffee and headphones ready because this is no joy ride. This is a joy ride, Baby Driver style!



Okay, I may not have some mad skills like the Baby Driver himself but I'm glad that I'm honoring him with the car that looks similar to the Subie the Baby Driver drove in the movie. I'd expect you Subarists to watch this film this weekend and see if you can match your driving style to this...Baby Driver. You kids are going to love it, trust me.

Monday, June 26, 2017

2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup - Toyota/Save Mart 350

After months of pure oval action at the Monster Energy NASCAR Series, the racers landed at Sonoma Raceway for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 where this race is all about typical NASCAR action even though they're struggling to survive through different corners of Sonoma.


In lap 16, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s late braking through the final turn made a mess and got collided by Danica Patrick at the side. In lap 32, Danica Patrick got spun and got collided by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Also got spun is Daniel Suarez when he just had a snap spin, grabbed a gear, and got going again. In lap 110, disaster struck at Casey Kahne when his car got crashed through the wall.

At the end of the race, Kevin Harvick snagged his first win of the series.

Next race is at Daytona on the 1st of July.

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



- Senator Leila de Lima insists that the Philippine National Railways should have better service due to the fare increase next month. According to her, the Php 5 fare increase should be enough for the maintenance of the trains.

- In observance of Eid’l Fitr, the final day of the Muslim holy month or Ramadan, President Rodrigo Duterte insists that "faith will see us through". In the meantime, the battle between government troops and the Maute terrorists resume in Marawi after the truce ends while five residents in Marawi residents were rescued during the truce.

- DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana dared an unnamed leftist group to show evidence in relation to report that Marawi women are scared of soldiers allegedly raping them amid the military operation against the Maute Group. The DND Chief stressed that soldiers underwent a series of gender sensitivity training through Gender and Development Program.

- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani expressed support for Qatar in its confrontation with Saudi Arabia and its allies, labeling it "unacceptable". Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain cut ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of support for Islamist militants, an allegation Qatar denies.

- Pakistani hospitals are struggling to treat badly burned victims of a a fuel tanker explosion that killed at least 146 people, as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif flew back from an overseas trip to visit the injured. Over 118 people were badly hurt in the explosion in the eastern province of Punjab, which came as people gathered to collect leaking fuel after the tanker overturned on Sunday, government officials and rescue workers said.

- Polling stations opened across Mongolia as nearly two million residents were asked to choose a new president amid worries about corruption and the state of the resource-dominated economy. Voters are expecting a close race between the ruling Mongolian People's Party candidate Miyeegombo Enkhbold and former martial arts star and resource nationalist Khaltmaa Battulga of the opposition Democratic Party.

- Walt Disney's "presentation map" for his pitch for his iconic Disneyland theme park was sold for $708,000 at an auction of Disney memorabilia on Sunday. The price set a record for a Disney map and was among the highest ever paid for a piece of Disney ephemera at auction, organizers said. Still, it fell short of the predicted $900,000.

- Level 5's Snack World video game for the Nintendo 3DS delayed to August 10 while its smartphone versions also delayed to 2018.

- In case you missed it, the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE lapped the Nurburgring in under 7 minutes and 16 seconds, making it the fastest Camaro ever lapped the Ring.



TTFN!!!

F1 2017 - Azerbaijan GP

The Azerbaijan GP of the F1 2017 season promises to be even more exciting than last year but all that excitement has been replaced with a certain vengeful intentional crash that is worth controversial than enjoyable.


How did that happen? After Sebastian Vettel run lightly into the back of his Briton rival, Lewis Hamilton, leading up to the re-start on lap 18, he was given a 10-second stop-go penalty for dangerous driving after what seems to be a retaliatory contact with Hamilton's vehicle. Hamilton called Vettel's intentional collision disgraceful by side-swiping him behind the safety car, saying it's unfitting for a four-time world champion. Vettel, who finished a place ahead of Hamilton in fourth, fires back saying that Hamilton accused of brake-testing him.

Behind the Vettel-Hamilton quagmire, Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo is named the winner of this race while Valtteri Bottas' in 2nd place and Stroll's in 3rd place, his first podium finish.

After that whole incident in Baku, Hamilton dropped to 14 points behind Vettel in the overall rankings of this season.

The next race will be on Austria on the 9th of July.

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Doctor Who S10E11

The first half of the two-part Season 10 finale of Doctor Who is a revelation fans braced themselves for because it's not just a classic variant of a robotic fiend that's making a comeback, someone is and man, what a kicker the first part is.

Doctor Who S10E11

Titled "World Enough and Time", The Doctor and his pals, including Missy, emerged on a colony ship until Bill Potts was shot dead by a ship crewman and some mysterious personnel took her to bring her back to life. Revived but transplanted with a mysterious object, while remembering The Doctor's words "Wait for Me", Bill tries to find out what's going on in this mysterious medical facility nestled below the colony ship while The Doctor tries to figure out how to get there.

Spoiler alert! The mysterious bearded person who helped Bill but later lured her to the trap to become a Mondasian Cyberman? Yep, it's the man who used to be Harold Saxon a decade ago. It's The Master (played by John Simm) emerged from the darkness again. With The Master risen from the dead and The Doctor's imminent death fast approaching, next week's finale will be the most unforgiving experience yet.

But in the meantime, executive producer Brian Minchin has his say in the recent DW Fan Show webcast.



NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW: