Saturday, July 9, 2016

Let's Do The News! (July 9, 2016)


- The Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff General Ricardo Visaya said the Duterte administration is taking several actions to save the hostages who are held captive by the Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Sulu. Visaya said the military has intensified the surgical strike against the group to keep the militants on the run but he said the soldiers were also directed to take caution and consider the safety of the hostages.

- Onto the Dallas shooting incident, US authorities said the recent ambush of police officers in Dallas last Thursday, that killed five officers and injured seven others, appears to have been the work of a lone gunman, identified as 25-year-old Micah Johnson. The suspect stated to negotiators that he wanted to "kill white people, especially white officers". US President Barack Obama's Europe visit has been cut short and he will visit Dallas early next week, calling the attack "vicious, calculated and despicable attack on law enforcement".

- NATO will deploy troops to Baltic states and Poland for the first time and increase air and sea patrols in response to Russia's seizure of Crimea from Ukraine. At a leaders' summit in Warsaw, NATO decided to move four battalions, totaling up to 4,000 troops in north-eastern Europe on a rotating basis.

- Nadine Lustre, Eat Bulaga's Maine Mendoza, and Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach were among the FHM 100 Sexiest Women for 2016.

- Designated Survivor actor Kiefer Sutherland returns to the reboot of a 1990 film Flatliners, which starred him and Julia Roberts.

- Doctor Who's Alex Kingston is set to return on American television as part of the cast of the upcoming reboot of the Gilmore Girls.

TTFN!!!

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: North Korea test-fired SLBM


Military officials in South Korea has attempted to launch a submarine-launched ballistic missile in violation of international sanctions. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Saturday that the missile was fired at around 1130 hours local time, from a two-thousand ton submarine near the eastern port city of Sinpo. The launch came a day after South Korea and the US confirmed their deployment of a US missile defense system to the South.

Meanwhile, South Korea's major political parties have had their say on the two countries' confirmation Friday that the THAAD missile defense system WILL be deployed to South Korea. The ruling Saenuri Party said it was a "timely and inevitable decision" that's necessary to maintain regional peace and security due to North Korea's threats. The Minjoo Party said it wasn't opposed to the deployment but it criticized the government's diplomatic and security strategies in addressing China's concerns. The minor opposition People's Party was outspoken in its opposition, questioning about the effectiveness of THAAD, adding that the decision had completely disregarded the stances of South Korea's neighbors like China.

Source: Arirang News

Maine's 1st Anniversary


Hardly a year has passed since rising star Maine "Yaya Dub" Mendoza made her TV debut on Eat Bulaga and during her tenure, no one has gotten more awards, accolades, and endorsements than everyone's favorite Dubsmash queen. When it comes to her on-screen antics with Alden Richards, nobody does it better than AlDub.

To honor such an occasion, Maine has thrown her biggest performance yet on the Eat Bulaga stage and with the help of the AlDub Nations, Lola Nidora, Lola Tinidora, Alden Richards, and the EB presenters, it was the best day of Maine Mendoza's career.

However, the fun doesn't stop here because next week will be the biggest for AlDub because not only the long awaited "Imagine You & Me" film hits theaters in the 13th of July, but next Saturday will be the big one because...it's AlDub's 1st Anniversary! Watch out for it because this would be the best week for AlDub Nations worldwide.

Photo: Official Eat Bulaga Facebook page

The Secret Life of Pets

In the world we live in, we love our pets. Cats, dogs, any kind of animal we kept and sheltered, pets are not just animals, they're became part of the family. We really wonder what would pets do when we are away from them. What are they doing while we are away from home? Well, in this movie made by the same humans behind the Despicable Me films, this explains everything.

The Secret Life of Pets

The Secret Life of Pets is an animated family movie that features an eclectic all-star voice cast of Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Hannibal Buress, Bobby Moynihan, Steve Coogan, and Albert Brooks. This is the fifth movie made in partnership between Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment, studio behind the Despicable Me films and Megamind. This film introduces an eclectic cast of characters such as Max, Duke, Snowball, Chloe, Gidget, Sweetpea, Buddy, Mel, and Leonard, and when their owners left them at home, their big adventure begins as they rush through one hilarious mishap after another. For the pets themselves, this day is never going to end.

Although somewhat bland and a bit too cute to look at this film, this family film is proven to be one heck of an all-out riot and an all-out laugh trip for those who are looking for a good movie with some good vibes on it. Experiencing though the hilarious escapade in the eyes of the pets sounds so ridiculously funny, it makes viewers think they want to unleash their wild side and knowing this film is just the tip of the iceberg. For good times, bad times, and the downright infuriating times, The Secret Life of Pets is going to be one heck of a classic the more you keep watching this film over and over again and because this is made by the same people that smiled us with their Minions from the Despicable Me films, viewers are getting the rush of it.

Conclusion? Although not a good movie to watch, it's still a great laugh trip with some good vibes to ham it out for the fun of it and when it comes to hilarity for a family movie, consider this.

My rating: 3.6 out of 5.

#ALDUBonBubbleGang

In the July 8, 2016 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Ililigtas gags

- It's just you and the physician now.

- Hugot lines on a restaurant.

- More words of wisdom by Tata Lino (featuring AlDub)



- More Patok-Taktiks to take advantage of...

- More Spoken-Neneng music!

- A chatter at a cafe about someting...rude.



- Bubble Gang teases some new shows (not) coming soon.





- Basa-basa-Pik!

Friday, July 8, 2016

Let's Do The News! (July 8, 2016)


- Typhoon Butchoy weakens on Friday but it made landfall over the southern part of Taiwan while remaining inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, triggering heavy rainfall in parts of Luzon. As of 0700 hours local time, Butchoy was located at 230km north northwest of Itbayat, Batanes with maximum sustained winds of 195kph near the center and gustiness of up to 230kph.

- The Freedom of Information measure is expected to be implemented in the executive branch next week through an order to be issued by President Duterte. The President said last night he decided to rush the process to put this measure into fruition, but his decision was separate to whatever Congress or judiciary might take on the matter.

- Several groups filed charges against former president Benigno Aquino III and former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad for graft, technical malversation, usurpation of legislative powers, and grave misconduct over the Disbursement Acceleration Program, The complaint argued that Aquino and Abad committed illegal use of public funds or properly or technical malversation for misappropriating public funds in conspiracy with one another through the DAP.

- Protests have been held across the United States following two fatal police shootings of black men in two days. Over a thousand people held a protest in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Thursday, a day after a police officer killed a black man in a suburb. In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, meanwhile, several hundred people also attended a rally near the site where another black man was fatally shot by a police officer on Tuesday.

- During the nationwide protest following police shootings, two gunmen reportedly shot 11 police officers during a protest rally in Dallas, Texas, leaving five killed. Police told a suspected sniper and the police are still exchanging gunfire and one of the suspects told the police that he will target more officers as well as planted a number of bombs. Two of the suspects and four others were detained.

- The Russian security body carried out a special operation against an armed terrorist group in the North Caucasus region. Seven militants and one security officer were killed in the southern republic of Dagestan, where many Muslims live int he region. Officers said they have seized explosives and other weaponry during the operation.

- New Pokemon on the upcoming Pokemon Sun and Moon has been detailed. There's a new Pokemon with an ability capable of poisoning even the Poison or Steel types. Enter Salandit and its brand new Corrosion ability is going to be a trump card for the players.



- THE IDOLM@STER goes VR with the franchise's first entry to the Playstation VR for the Playstation4 console. Called THE IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls Viewing Revolution, fans can join in the virtual concert with performances by the best of Cinderella Girls. It will be one of the launch titles for the PSVR when it launches this October 13.



- The Honda/Acura NSX goes GT3 racing with their own race car set to race in 2017.



TTFN!!!

Thursday, July 7, 2016

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: US puts sanctions on Kim Jong-Un



The United States will impose sanctions against North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un personally for human rights abuses.

The government announced on Wednesday that 10 North Korean senior officials are also on the list of those responsible for the commission of serious human rights abuses and censorship in the country. According to the US Department of State, North Korea's human rights abuses are among the worst in the world as they commit serious human rights abuses including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detention, forced labor, and torture. The US will continue to identify more individuals and entities in future reports, hinting at a plan to add more North Koreans in the list.

Source: NHK World

Let's Do The News! (July 7, 2016)


- Typhoon Butchoy has slowed down as it continues to move closer to Taiwan, according to PAGASA. The eye of the storm was located 160km Northeast of Itbayat, Batanes with max sustained winds of 205 kph and gusts of up to 240kph. It is forecasted to move west northwest at 17kph and expected to leaver the PAR on Friday.

- The Philippine National Police on Thursday revealed that they are part of solving possible human rights violations committed by policemen during anti-drug operations. A certain lawmaker, earlier, filed a resolution calling on the House of Representatives to investigate extrajudicial killings and summary executions of suspected drug violators and criminals. Since Duterte's inauguration, at least 30 drug suspects have been killed and over 900 drug users and pushers have surrendered.

- The PDP-Laban party asked the Supreme Court to junk COMELEC's resolution granting the Liberal Party's request to extend the deadline of the submission of statements of contributions and expenditures. The party is the second to file a petition questioning COMELEC's decision to extend the deadline of the filing of SOCE.

- The death toll from Sunday's Baghdad terror attack by the Islamic State has reached 250, which makes it the deadliest since the beginning of the Iraqi War in 2003. An Iraqi Health Ministry reported that 250 people were killed about 200 others were wounded when a car bomb exploded in a largely Shia district in the Iraqi capital last weekend. The war 13 years ago deepen religious animosity between Shia and Sunni Muslims int he country.

- Former UK PM Tony Blair said he accepts responsibility for the decision of his country to take part in the Iraq War since 2003. Blair says it was the hardest decision he took in his 10 years as prime minister and expressed more sorrow, regret, and apology than people may ever know.

- The investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server during her tenure as Secretary of State has ended without any charges. US Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced that she accepted the FBI's recommendation. The FBI on Tuesday recommended that no criminal charges be brought in the case while saying Clinton was careless in handling classified information.

- The Spanish court has sentenced Argentinian soccer superstar Lionel Messi to 21 months in prison for defrauding tax authorities of 4.6 million dollars. The court on Wednesday found Messi guilty of tax evasion by using companies in overseas tax havens. He was also fined of 2.3 million dollars.

- The Harry Potter-spinoff movie, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, is set to hit theaters this Autumn but J.K. Rowling said she has completed script for its upcoming sequel. The first film is the first of the Fantastic Beasts trilogy.

- Former SexBomb girl Sugar cries for help over her legal battle with her estranged husband. A video of her asking for help went viral, following the child abuse complaint filed by her estranged husband Kristofer Jay Go. Since last year, Sugar filed a complaint against her husband for violating the RA 9262 law or Anti-Violence Against Women and Children act of 2004.

- Following their crushing defeat by the New Zealand basketball team and their hopes to be part of the Rio Olympics ended in shambles, GILAS Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin stressed the need to play more tune-up games for the national team in future endeavors, especially if it expects to be successful in the world of basketball.

- Today marks the 51st weeksary of AlDub.

FIA Formula E 2015-2016 FINALE


The two-part London finale at the 2015-2016 season of the FIA Formula E Championship really ends this season with a major twist unheard of in the world of motorsports as Sebastien Buemi and Lucas di Grassi ended up not finishing the last race but thanks to the "fastest lap" tiebreaker, Buemi wins and he is named as the FIA Formula E 2015-2016 champion.

That was quite a twist in the world of motorsports when everyone noticed that two top drivers ended up in a crash but settled in a fast lap tiebreaker to determine this season's champion.

Highlights:



And that concludes this season of the FIA Formula E Championship and for the upcoming 2016-2017 season, there will be big changes for this championship as well as the addition of the questionable RoboRace. Wonder how will the next season unfolds for the future of zero-emission motorsport like this? Only time will tell...

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Let's Do The News! (July 6, 2016)


- Typhoon Butchoy has intensified further as it maintained its speed and direction as of 1100 hours local time, according to PAGASA. Butchoy packed maximum sustained winds of 195 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 230kph while its estimated rainfall amount is from moderate to heavy within the 550km diameter of the typhoon. Signal No. 1 was issued over the Batanes Group of Islands.

- President Rodrigo Duterte extended his greetings to Filipino Muslims as they commemorate Eid'l Fitr, the annual feast which marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month. In his message to Filipino Muslims, Duterte describe this year's Eid'l Fitr as "timely and relevant" given the change of leadership.

- Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa said the three police generals linked to illegal drugs have reported to him and have already been turned over to the NAPOLCOM for formal investigation.

- Onto the race to the White House for the November 2016 elections, US President Barack Obama has joined presumptive Democratic presidentiable Hillary Clinton on her campaign for the first time at a rally in North Carolina on Tuesday. Clinton praised Obama, saying he was the president who knew how to keep America safe and strong. Republican presidentiable Donald Trump, meanwhile, harshly condemns Clinton over her controversial email scandal. Trump referred to the FBI's decision not to file charges against her for using a private email server while she was secretary of state, which the agency called her handling of classified information "extremely careless". Of course, the FBI says it will not press criminal charges against Clinton over her e-mail scandal following last week's interview because the agency did not find clear evidence that they intended to violate the law and there was no "intentional misconduct".

- Brazil has increased security in venues to be used in the Rio 2016 Olympics and other public spaces before next month's games are open. Justice minister Alexandre de Moraes spoke at the Olumpic security forces' launch ceremony before 1,000 personnel.

- Although the Islamic holy month of Ramadan has ended, countries remain on high alert following multiple terrorist attacks during the month. During the holy month, deadly attack were carried out in countries including Turkey, Bangladesh, and Iraq.

- Aston Martin unveiled the AM-RB 001 hypercar in collaboration with Red Bull Racing. Combined with ultra-lightweight materials as well as its V12 engine, it claims to have an impossible 1:1 power-to-weight ratio, just like the Koenigsegg One:1. Deliveries will commence this 2018.

 


- An open-top version of the Ferrari LaFerrari hybrid hypercar has been uncovered prior to its Paris Motor Show debut this fall. Before its announcement, all of the units have been officially sold out.


TTFN!!!

F1 2016: Austrian GP

Photo: Getty Images

Despite a rainy weather in Spielberg, Austria, the rivalry between Mercedes-AMG's F1 aces, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, heated the Austrian GP of the F1 2016 season and as demonstrated by their last-lap contact between them at the finish line, it's anyone's guess how long will this cat-and-mouse game will last until the end of term. Of course, with Hamilton winning the Austrian GP following Rosberg's "incident", the gap between them is now reduced to 11 points in the overall standings. Following Hamilton's win, Red Bull rookie Max Verstappen taste another podium finish after holding off Kimi Raikkonen to secure third place while Sebastian Vettel's 2nd place finish is not too shabby for Ferrari, either.

The next race is set at Great Britain on the 10th of July.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Juno probe successfully reached Jupiter


After a five-year journey, NASA's Juno probe has successfully reached Jupiter.

Launched in August 2011, Juno completed entry into Jupiter's orbit at around 0353 hours UTC, making it the second probe to enter Jupiter since the Galileo in 1995. It will orbit Jupiter over the next 18 months and conduct observations from an altitude of 5,000km - the closest a probe has reached the planet's surface.

With Juno, NASA scientists will be able to discover more about the planet Jupiter.


*Creative visualization

Let's Do The News! (July 5, 2016)


- A typhoon named Butchoy has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility Tuesday afternoon. Although not expected to make landfall, the typhoon is expected to enhance due to habagat in the next few days. The eye of the typhoon, according to PAGASA, was located at 1,440km east of Baler, Aurora.

- President Rodrigo Duterte named the five high-ranking officials from the Philippine National Police allegedly involved in illegal drugs. During his speech at the Philippine Air Force's 69th anniversary, Duterte warned officials involved in illegal drugs and named PNP Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo Jr., former NCR Police Office chief Director Joel Pagdilao, Western Visayas regional director Chief Superintendent Bernardo Diaz, Quezon City Police District director Chief Superintendent Edgardo Tinio, and retired police general Vic Loot.

- Vice President Leni Robredo, meanwhile, will hold a leadership position in the Liberal Party as stated by the rules of the political party. Robredo said the LP has yet to meet formally after President Duterte's first SONA on the 25th this month.

- Onto the Brexit aftermath, UKIP leader Nigel Farage, one of the spearheaders of the successful campaign to leave the European Union in the referendum last month, says he is stepping down from his position. Farage told reporters that he has done his bit, and couldn't possibly achieve more than he did in the referendum. He will remain as a member of the European Parliament and continues to work with other European lawmakers skeptical of the EU.
- Onto the Istanbul airport attack, Turkish authorities suspect a network of former Soviet extremists may be behind the attack. Reports told that the organizer behind the attack was Akhmed Chatayev from Chechnya, southern Russia. He is believed to be a leader in the Islamic State group.

- People across the United States of America have celebrated Independence Day under maximum security against potential attacks. Traditional festivities such as fireworks displays and parades are held every year on the 4th of July in honor of America's independence from British tyranny from 1776.

- The iconic Mount Panorama circuit in Bathurst will be having a second layout to the Eastern part of the track soon. The Bathurst Regional Council has secured the land needed to make the proposal. The project is expected to cost 50 million dollars, not including the cost of securing the 32-hectare plot of land.

- Cardcaptor Sakura's 20th anniversary celebration continues with two new Nendoroid Co-de variants of Sakura Kinomoto, They're both available to order for 2,778 Yen plus tax and arrives this November.


- Jyushimatsu and Todomatsu from Osomatsu-san joins the Nendoroid range. They're now available to order starting at 3,241 Yen plus tax and deliveries will start this November.


TTFN!!!

The Cute Wall (Volume Fourteen)

Now, the moment of truth is time because it's now time to do...THE CUTE WALL!



It's back, ladies and gents, and today's CUTE WALL is a very special one.

What special?

What? Don't know anything?

No. What is it?

Because of this!




Wait...are these Aqours?!

Aqours it is and who saw the pilot episode of the new Love Live Sunshine anime? Raise your hands...

(audience raising hands)

That's a lot because almost anyone around here watched the new show and I think they're getting warmed up for the Aqours craze.

Yeah, the same way what...μ's did five years ago. So, whose Aqours member should we go first? Chika Takami?

Correct. Chika Takami it is. So, any thoughts about her?

Chika is...um...what can you say about her anyway?

For me, Chika is like Honoka but with a million times more manageable, in my mind.

(audience laughing)

Like Honoka, do you really think Chika's going to be the cutest of the Aqours members?

For me, yes. And I know where to put our new favorite school idol girl in this wall.

Where? Is it...NAKAKA...

Nailed it. It's NAKAKAGIGIL.

(audience laughing, then applause)

All righty, then. So, who's next?

Riko Sakurauchi. The former Tokyo girl who now resides to Uchiura and you can really tell that she used to reside from Tokyo is on her...

(static)

~MINOR TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. PLEASE STAND BY...~

I see. But did you notice more about her when Chika saw her took her clothes off?

(audience murmuring)

Hey. What's up with them?

When Riko took her clothes off and showed off her...um...swimsuit, the fans got their pants wet during bedtime. No. That's only the first episode because pretty soon, there's one Aqours members that will surely wet their pants once and for all during bedtime and that someone really is You.

Me?!

Not you, You Watanabe. The diver of a swim club. If you see You wearing her speedo, that's where the fans' reactions really kicked in as they'll going to wet themselves in bed upon remembering her. Believe it or not, You Watanabe in her speedo is a million times more bedwetting than...(ahem)

Kanan Matsuura in her wet suit?

(audience laughing)

I know that sounds disgusting but she's kinda cute in a normal sort of way while she's not in her speedo.

Same thing goes to Kanan, right?

Not sure about that but oh well.

Hey. Now that we mentioned Riko, You, and Kanan, care to guess where we should put them?

Riko? Well, I'll put her on...NOT CUTE.

(audience laughing)

Seriously?

Uh-huh. You? CUTE for her.  As for Kanan, CUTE!

(audience laughing)

Who's next?

Dia. Dia Kurosawa.

And who is she?

She's the student council president, just like my beloved Elichika.

(audience laughing)

Sadly, unlike Eli Ayase, Dia's quite an aggressive person that you couldn't count on even when she's part of Aqours for one main reason that I can't tell you about it and believe it or not, she has a sister named...

Ruby?

Correct. Ruby is...ahem, a rather opposite of her big sister Dia. She may be timid but she's very reluctant to take things seriously. She's a great friend of Hanamaru Kunikida, a member of a choir band.

Hanamaru looks kinda friendly and nice, by the way, and I agree with the chemistry between Hanamaru and Ruby because they look kinda cute when they're together.

For freshmen students like them, they're quite admirable, I'll give you that.

So, where will you put them?

It's a CUTE for Ruby and Hanamaru. As for Dia...NOT CUTE.

(audience laughing)

NOT CUTE?!

I don't like Dia's personality. Her aggressive demeanor is not well suited enough to be called cute so it's a NOT CUTE for me.

Who's next?

The rich girl. Mari Ohara.

Mari Ohara?

Yes. She's a rich girl whose father is a foreigner and runs a hotel business. You can really tell Mari's the rich girl just by noticing her personal mode of transport.

Judging by her appearance, I'm glad Aqours had a member who is a rich girl just like Maki Nishikino.

Yes, but Maki and Mari are typically different because Mari's got...class. She's classy and elegant, unlike Maki Nishikino, who often gets her hand sweaty on different situations.

(audience laughing)

But whatever the heck Mari is, let's seal her fate in the CUTE spot just in case. So, with eight of the Aqours members had their spots on the wall, that leaves us with...oh no.

What's wrong?

Our worst nightmare.

What is it?

Yoshiko Tsushima.

(audience laughing)

Oh my...

(audience murmuring)

What's wrong with them?

These guys noticed just how scary Yoshiko...er...Yohanne is and why we called her Yohanne because she wanted to be called Yohanne the little devil rather than her real name because some say, she's the walking disaster.

More like a walking time bomb if you ask?

Shhh....You're trying to make it worse. Ever seen her hand pose when they do jankenpon? That's not paper that Yohanne did...that's just...I can't tell what's what but it's got to be scary.

(audience laughing)

Shhh... (whispering) Where should we put this demon in the wall?

(Whispering) Tell you what. To avoid any mishaps that this little devil's going to cause on us, we have to seal her in...the SERIOUSLY NOT CUTE position.

(Whispering) Okay.

TIME FOR THE RECAP!

SERIOUSLY NOT CUTE:
Raichu
Whisper
Minion
Nico Yazawa
Takane Shijou
Azusa Miura
Makoto Kikuchi
Anzu Futaba
Croagunk
Touma Amagase
Shota Mitarai
Hokuto Ijuin
Teru Tendo
Kaoru Sakuraba
Tsubasa Kashikawa
Kyouji Takajou
Minori Watanabe
Kyosuke Aoi
Yusuke Aoi
Shiki Iseya
Haruna Wakazato
Hayato Akiyama
Jun Fuyumi
Natsuki Sakaki
Rui Maita
Chio Hazama
Jiro Yamashita
Treecko
Jill Valentine
Rebecca Chambers
Claire Redfield
Ada Wong
Ashley Graham
Sheva Alomar
Helena Harper
Sherry Birkin
Moira Burton
Natalia Korda
Osomatsu
Karamatsu
Choromatsu
Ichimatsu
Jyuushimatsu
Todomatsu
Miyabi Fujiwara
Risa Shirakaba
Rin Kurosawa
Mia Fey
Rayfa Padma Khura'in
Buttercup
*Yoshiko Tsushima

NOT CUTE:
Dopey
Kwazii
Minion
Amethyst
Rin Hoshizora
Hibiki Ganaha
Minami Nitta
Ranko Kanzaki
Miku Maekawa
Kion
Fuli
Beshte
Bunga
Ono
Pierre
Scraggy
Bulbasaur
Squirtle
Cyndaquil
Turtwig
Sumire Hikami
Juri Kurebayashi
Nono Daichi
Hime Shiratori
Tsubasa Kisaragi
Yuzu Nikaido
Yozora Kasumi
Maya Fey
Pearl Fey
Ema Skye
Trucy Wright
Kay Faraday
Athena Cykes
Blossom
Mirai Kasuga
Shizuka Mogami
Tsubasa Ibuki
Shiho Kitazawa
Umi Kousaka
Julia
Megumi Tokoro
Yuriko Nanao
Serika Hakozaki
Anna Mochizuki
Kana Yabuki
Nao Yokoyama
*Riko Sakurauchi
*Dia Kurosawa

CUTE:
Pichu
Plusle
Minun
Pachirisu
Emolga
Dedenne
Mokona
Mog
Catbug
Bashful
Froakie
Fennekin
Harukasan
Stuffy
Tunip the Vegimal
Minccino
Piplup
Sylveon
Queen Delightful
Axew
Jibanyan
Minion
Serena's Pancham
Umi Sonoda
Eli Ayase
Hanayo Koizumi
Maki Nishikino
Nozomi Tojo
Miki Hoshii
Yukiho Hagiwara
Iori Minase
Ritsuko Akizuki
Anastasia
Kanako Mimura
Chieri Ogata
Miria Akagi
Rika Jougasaki
Kirari Moroboshi
Riina Tada
Rin Shibuya
Mio Honda
Komasan
Komajiro
Grizz
Panda
Ice Bear
Clefairy
Jigglypuff
Chansey
Eevee
Tepig
Snivy
Chikorita
Charmander
Totodile
Torchic
Mudkip
Chimchar
Hinaki Shinjo
Madoka Amahana
Kokone Kurisu
Nina Dojima
Yume Njino
Rola Sakuraba
Laala Manaka
Bubbles
*You Watanabe
*Kanan Matsuura
*Ruby Kurosawa
*Hanamaru Kunikida
*Mari Ohara


NAKAKAGIGIL!!!:
Pikachu
BMO
Bijou
Poof
George
Happy
Chespin
Doc McStuffins
Mabel Pines
Sofia
Cottonee
Minion
Oshawott
Star Butterfly
Honoka Kousaka
Kotori Minami
Haruka Amami
Yayoi Takatsuki
Chihaya Kisaragi
Ami Futami
Mami Futami
Uzuki Shimamura
Noibat
Togepi
Squishy
Ichigo Hoshimiya
Aoi Kiriya
Ran Shibuki
Akari Ozora
Braixen
*Chika Takami


Independence Day Resurgence

The year 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of Independence Day, the movie that crafted the sci-fi disaster flick by storm and who can ever forget the iconic scene when an alien ship destroyed the White House with a powerful beam as well as Will Smith's iconic role as one of the pilots who bravely resisted the alien invasion? In honor of the film's 20th anniversary since the movie premiered in 1996, a brand new Independence Day film has arrived but is it worth waiting?

Independence Day Resurgence

Independence Day Resurgence brings back familiar faces from the 1996 film such as Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, and Vivica A. Fox, as well as new ones such as Liam Hemsworth, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Maika Monroe, Joey King, Jessie Usher, and Sela Ward. Sadly though, Will Smith was not present in this sequel, which makes us very sad. Anyway, in this film, while Earth was reeling from the massive alien attack 20 years ago, the planet has been invaded once again by aliens, only this time, they're getting more and more powerful and growing in numbers that can outnumber Earth's forces. Thanks to newly recovered alien weaponry, world leaders initiated a multiscale defense effort to save Earth but nothing can prepare us for the massive extraterrestrial onslaught and only a handful of heroes can repeat the victory that liberated Earth from its invaders 20 years ago.

Although this movie is more of a 20th anniversary offering to the 1996 flick, Resurgence feels somewhat lacking compared to the original. Even with returning favorites as well as disaster flick master Roland Emmerich directed it and the endless use of special effects to make this movie as awesome as any sci-fi flick we know, it still won't make the cut to bring the magic that the 1996 Independence Day flick had. The lack of Will Smith means that the sequel feels somewhat odd, a bit tad old-fashioned, and a bit tasteless like sipping a cup of water. However, in terms of getting glued till the end of the movie, Resurgence remains its thrilling feel as the original and with some massive earth-shaking moments and cool space-age dogfights in store, this is just enough to blow a cake to Independence Day's 20th birthday.

To conclude, although the sequel lacks the original's formula, it still capable enough to blow anyone who got glued watching it until the film's ending.

My rating: 3.1 out of 5.

Top Gear S23 Finale


The Series 23 finale of "brand new" Top Gear gives a fresh send-off to the revamped show with cars, cars, and cars, starting with Chris Harris tries out the new Honda NSX and then handed to The Stig to set a 1:17.6 lap time round the Top Gear track. Then, Rory Reid checks out the brand new Ford Mustang. Meanwhile, Matt LeBlanc tries out Porsche's hardcore 911R with enthusiasm. And lastly, Chris Evans tastes nostalgia with restored and modernized MGB vintage sports car.

In Star In A Rallycross car, comedian Greg Davies and racing driver Patrick Dempsey lapped round the track in 2:27.1 and 2:12, all in wet conditions.

Because this is the season finale, the finale ends with the presenters trying to leap the rallycross Mini the longest in tve high-jump part of the rallycross section of the track.

Well, after six episodes aired, it's hard to say whether the "brand new" Top Gear is acceptable than the old one but due to Chris Evans' "unacceptable" behavior, feels like the future is shady for BBC's hit motoring show but with Rory Reid and Chris Harris spicing up the show and a plethora of cool cars shown, the new Top Gear feels not so bad to look at but not good enough to be patched from Evans' behavior.

Good thing is that after the show, Chris Evans announced that he's leaving Top Gear for good, meaning that with Evans out of the picture, the future looks bright for the "brand new" Top Gear for the next few terms but for how long? Only time will tell...

Monday, July 4, 2016

28th Annual Pacific Northwest Historics Vintage Races

The roar of nostalgic past has swept through the Independence Day weekend at the Pacific Raceway in Kent, Washington, for the 28th annual Pacific Northwest Historics VINTAGE RACES, which was presented by BMW Northwest dealership. It was held from the 1st and 3rd of July, 2016, and in this event, they've honored the 50th anniversary of Corvette Racing as well as the 70th anniversary reunion of the legendary Cooper Racing Cars.

Anyway, I managed to take some snapshots during the event just to have the fun of it...



Full Gallery: https://www.flickr.com/gp/leopauldelr/rr0D4L

My video:

Let's Do The News! (July 4, 2016)


- President Rodrigo Duterte's first Executive Order was issued on Monday in which seeks to reengineer the Office of the President. Duterte cited Presidential Decree 1416 which provides that the president shall have continuing authority to reorganize the administrative structure of the national government. The 12 agencies are tasked to evaluate existing poverty reduction programs and formulate project that seek to improve people's lives of the most important sectors of the society.

- Vice President Leni Robredo made a courtesy visit to President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacanang Palace on Monday afternoon. This is the second time the two new top officials met together since the AFP turnover ceremony last week.

- The Federal Bureau of Investigation have interviewed presumptive Democratic presidentiable Hillary Clinton over her use of a private email server while she was Secretary of State. The 3-and-a-half hour interview took place on Saturday at the FBI HQ in Washington. Later, in a telephone interview with US media, Clinton is welcomed to do the FBI interview, which her side described as voluntary,

- The terrorist attack at a restaurant in Dhaka, Bangladesh, is drawing condemnation from the international community. Last Friday, an armed group attacked the restaurant and about 20 bodies were found at the site, including seven Japanese people, nine Italians, an American, and an Indian, reports told. An organization claiming as an affiliate of ISIS claimed responsibility.

- French police have used an explosive to blow up a car parked illegally near a stadium where France and Iceland met for the Euro 2016 quarterfinals. The officers searched the car after the blast but nothing found. The blast near Paris caused jitters among fans arriving at the Stade de France stadium for the key game on Sunday.

- Turkish authorities have decided to hold 13 suspects in connection with the Istanbul airport attack last week. The suspects include three foreigners, who were among the 29 people captured after the bombing and shooting that killed 44.

- 125 people died at a car bomb attack in Baghdad, Iraq. The bomb exploded on Sunday morning in the Karrada district, where many Shia Muslims live. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

- Russia's Olympic Committee has appealed a ban on its athletics team from the upcoming Rio de Janeiro Olympics over doping. The legal department head of the committee told Russia's state-run news agency on Sunday that her organization and 68 athletes filed the appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

- 2013's hit anime series, Attack on Titan, returns for a brand new season this Spring 2017.

- D3Publisher announced a new and rather bizarre game titled Idol Death Game TV. Why not? Because this PSVita game, slated for its October 20 release, is an action adventure game about idols ended on a battle royale for the center position.

TTFN!!!

Sunday, July 3, 2016

Disney's The BFG

Forged by the collaborative efforts of Roald Dahl, Walt Disney, and Steven Spielberg, the classic tale of "The BFG" has come to life in this whimsical mix of live-action and CGI effects that will captivate the whole family in the long summer weekend.

Disney's The BFG

Starring Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton, Jemaine Clement, and Rebecca Hall, The BFG is about a little orphan girl named Sophie who had a chance encounter with a giant and then set off to an adventure that is far beyond our imagination. Throughout their adventure, their newly found friendship are tested when she heard that giants like him are flush-bunking off to her world to devour a few nice children and it's up to the unlikely duo to stop them once and for all.

Because The BFG is based on the works of children's books author Roald Dahl, the man behind other fantasy greats like James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Matilda, fantasy is the forte of this film as this film wants to capture young children with some unforgettable moments that will touch the hearts of many. It's like they're living in a fairy tale but it's beyond a grander scale for the whole family to witness it. With the combination of Disney and Steven Spielberg, this one-of-a-kind collaborative movie brings "movie magic" to a whole new meaning and The BFG never fails to impress as a family-friendly movie big enough to become one of the most heart-warming family movies of the summer. Watch this film until the very end and you will never deny just how beautiful this fantasy movie is.

Thanks to such a unique collaboration, Disney's The BFG is going to be an instant classic for those who have witnessed the story of a little girl and a big friendly giant setting off to humongous adventures big enough to be captivated by kids and by kids once upon a time.

My rating: 4.3 out of 5.

Cadillac CT6 and XT5

With Cadillac now taking a bold new approach with thanks to the man who used to shaped Nissan's Infiniti to its former glory, General Motors' luxury brand introduced us with two new machines that signals the rebirth that erases our minds from thinking that they're made only for senior citizens since...well, you know.

2016 Cadillac CT6

I'll begin with Cadillac's brand new flagship saloon, the CT6, and if the name takes a beating on you, that's because Cadillac's using a brand new naming structure similar to Renault-Samsung's. They'll be using the CT-prefix for saloons and XT-prefix for crossovers, but let's not talk long about it because let's focus onto the new CT6, the new flagship saloon from Cadillac. From the start, it looks closely similar to either a E-Class fighting CTS or a lackluster fleet-capable XTS but what this car looks like, it would be both because all that Art & Science philosophy is pouring into this saloon and from every angle, the CT6 rethinks the way Cadillac is meant to be, as an American flagship capable to tackle the likes of BMW's 7-Series, Audi's A8, Benz's S-Class, even Lexus's LS and Genesis' EQ900 as well.

One thing that sets them apart is the price because the CT6 starts at 53,495 US Dollars, which makes it a BMW 7-Series in 5-Series money. Now, that's a bargain but what do you get for a flagship saloon that is less expensive than the luxury flagships from Europe and Asia?

2016 Cadillac CT6 interior
Outside, the CT6 is a well-shaped saloon that balances style and performance at the same pace despite its big size. On the inside, you will notice the new Cadillac interior that will soon to apply in upcoming models within the end of the decade and it combines craftsmanship with technology that sets its class apart from the opposition. In my mind, the new Cadillac interior looks gorgeous by detail but it's not just the design that shaped the interior. It's the tech that revolutionized it and with the CT6, every nook and cranny has been well-shaped to give owners a much office-like feel on the road. Getting accommodated with the CT6's interior sounds nice but trying to learn more about the high-tech stuff is going to be a challenge, especially if you're not a big fan of technology.

2016 Cadillac CT6

What about driving? Since this is an entirely new car, the CT6 features a brand new platform as seen on the Chevrolet Camaro. Called the Omega platform, this platform uses a combination of steel and aluminum materials, resulting to a car that weighs less than BMW's 5-Series. That sounds great, as are the dynamics that feel great to drive but it's a bit tad old-fashioned if you know what I'm saying.

Then, there's the choice of engines. The CT6 comes with a choice of three engines; a 2.0L turbo, a 3.6L V6, and a powerful 3.0L V6 Twin-Turbo engine producing 404HP of power and 542Nm of torque. all mated with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Word from the mouth is that there's going to be a turbocharged V8 model coming soon but don't expect this to be a more exciting addition to it because even though it packs more oomph, the turbo's main purpose of better fuel economy might get the drop out of you.

And there's more because while the CT6 promises tech for a luxury saloon of this size, it comes with a rather bizarre feature called the Super Cruise autonomous driving feature which allows hands-free lane following, braking, and speed control. That feels scary but this is the future we're living it and autonomous driving tech will be all over even before the end of the decade, which sounds not so bad but would will be the end of fun driving as we knew it? It's too early to tell but in the meantime, hope you're not so stupid about taking advantage of its autonomous driving feature because while this is the future, this feature has a big fine print that drivers like you should be aware of. If things get wrong, it's no one's guess.

The CT6 is the first of the eight new models Cadillac will be launched before the end of the decade and the second of what I mentioned will be a crossover called the XT5.

2017 Cadillac XT5
2017 Cadillac XT5
2017 Cadillac XT5 interior

Served as the replacement of the SRX, the new XT5 features similar looks as the CT6 as well as its 3.6L V6 natural aspiration engine mated to an 8-speed gearbox. This engine is good for having 310HP of power and 367Nm of torque so that sounds sporty for a good V6 engine that has been around in most Cadillac models in its portfolio but don't get too confident on its power because this comes with the platform used on the China-made Buick Envision, so you may have high doubts about how it performs not just on the city centers but also on the open roads if you have a schedule to go to the country club to play golf.

Speaking of golf, because this is a crossover, the XT5 features a much spacious cabin that can accommodate various lifestyles you see fit because the XT5 isn't just a crossover, it's a lifestyle that deserves to have a lifestyle check before setting off.

So, with Cadillac's new CT6 flagship saloon and the new XT5 crossover, the luxury division of General Motors has started its major overhaul and how will Cadillac fare better against the opposition from Europe and Asia is all up to its customer satisfaction that requires clear thinking and clear judgment to settle things once and for all.

Photo: General Motors