Saturday, May 27, 2017

Biohazard: Vendetta

Biohazard (Resident Evil) is back with a brand new 3D CGI film that promises to be a big thrill just like Degeneration and Damnation from the past pulled off and zombie-shooting aside, this latest film is a fantasy that extrapolates from terrorist attacks of today.

Biohazard: Vendetta

Biohazard (Resident Evil) Vendetta is the third entry of the Biohazard 3D CGi films inspired from Capcom's hit survival horror franchise and just like the past two films, it serves as picking up where the games left off much like where Degeneration is set after BH4 and BH Revelations and Damnation set before the tragic events of BH6. Set moments after the Tall Oaks Incident and the Lanshiang Incident as seen from Biohazard 6, two agents from two different agencies; Chris Redfield from the BSAA and Leon S. Kennedy from the DSO are facing against a new threat; a wanted terrorist plotting to unleash a terrorist attack on New York City using a new kind of virus. In addition to the new friends and foes we'll be running on this film, Vendetta sees a much-awaited return of Rebecca Chambers, who's about to apply some science for the main characters facing off against a new kind of terrorist attack and the rivalry they set for themselves.

This film is directed by Takanori Tsujimoto from The Next Generation -Patlabor- at Marza Animation Planet, script written by Psycho-Pass' Makoto Fukami, BGM by Kenji Kawai, and Takashi Shimizu as the film's executive producer.

Despite being a great Japanese 3D anime movie, this film is too much English on the dialogue and while this is nice for English-speaking people, some Japanese moviegoers might get drowned over by this latest Biohazard film because with no Japanese voice on sight, it can be resolved sooner or later if they had the chance but for Vendetta, the blokes know that with all the zombie action pouring in, the material in this film shows how serious and relevant this is because with the film set in New York City, there's going to be a lot of talking to do about why this film was made but because of the never-ending nightmare the world is facing in today, Biohazard: Vendetta is a great way to fuel yourselves with fear and adrenaline while dealing with scenarios inspired by today's terrorist attacks.

My rating: 3.7 out of 5.

Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Captain Jack Sparrow and the pirates are back in the most intense and the most epic installment of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean film series to date as our favorite swashbuckling pirate is facing against a familiar foe and an army of the undead.

Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean:
Dead Men Tell No Tales

Dead Men Tell No Tales is coined as the final chapter of the Pirates of the Caribbean saga and in this final chapter, a horde of ghost sailors led by the once-fallen rogue pirate Captain Salazar (played by Javier Bardem) have escaped from the Devil's Triangle, plotting to kill every living pirate on sight, including Captain Jack Sparrow (played by Johnny Depp), who is on a mission to find the mythical Trident of Poseidon with some uneasy alliances along the way. This film also stars Brenton Thwaites as the Royal Navy sailor named Henry, Kaya Scodelario as a young prodigy named Carina Smyth, Kevin R. McNally, Golshifteh Farahani, David Wenham, Stephen Graham, and Geoffrey Rush as Captain Hector Barbossa.

It's sad to say that because this is the final chapter of the Pirates saga, we might think we are going to miss the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow but they sure know how to really end the Pirates saga with a blast by pitting our pirate hero against a once fallen pirate villain for a last showdown beyond life and death. While this film can suffer from a very common slow start like most great action-adventure films would be, the thrills and the humors just like every Pirates movie got are still there, delivering the rollercoaster ride the fans deserved until the final blow has landed to show that the Pirates saga is the best as well as Captain Jack Sparrow himself.

While we are waving goodbye to everyone's favorite pirate as well as his iconic lines that made us watching the films because of him, Dead Men Tell No Tales is the saga's final blow to bring out the thrills as we are hoping for the summer blockbuster season because when it hits, that's it, so congratulations, Disney. You guys made the best Pirates movie ever and we are going to treasure these films forever and ever.

My rating: 3.9 out of 5.

Forza Horizon 3: King of 911?

Porsche's trump card against the Nissan GT-R, the 991 911 Turbo S, has returned on Forza Horizon 3 as an event car you can win on this weekend's Forzathon event. We had so many memories on this first 991-spec 911 to arrive in the world of Forza since our European journey two years ago and now it's back for more.



If I recall, the 911 Turbo S is powered by a turbocharged 3.8L flat-6 engine mounted on the back, producing 552bhp of power and 516lb-ft of torque. Combined with its 4WD, low centre of gravity, and a 7-speed PDK, this car does 0-100kph in 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 318kph, faster than a hot version of the Nissan GT-R, which is why it was Porsche's trump card against Godzilla after all.

Sadly though, even though this is the king of 911s, this isn't my favorite 911 because the less powerful and more hardcore 911 GT3 RS is my new favorite 991-spec 911 because even though it produces a hundred less than the Turbo, it's still more enjoyable to drive than the Turbo because it's way more track honed compared to the Turbo. I know that the 911 Turbo is a great car to use on the road and on the track, it's nowhere near as good as the GT3 RS that I drove a while back...or is it?



Let's give the 911 Turbo S another chance by giving it a rollercoaster drive on the twists and turns of Hot Wheels Thrilltopia since we're in a middle of our Hot Wheels adventure. Okay, ready?



Still not my favorite 991 though. Sorry but even though it has a lot of power than any of the 991-spec 911s, its arm-breaking grip won't impress me and no matter how hard I handle, my arms are getting the beating more than the wheels itself and that's why I'm not interested with the 911 Turbo anymore. Anyway, you still have lots of time to get that powerful 911 Turbo to your garage while you can.

Bubble Gang - May 26, 2017 #Ika6NaUtosOnBG

In the May 26, 2017 episode of Bubble Gang...

- "Di makapagenroll" gags

- Words to live by with Tata Lino

- Something different about this farmer...

- Girlfriend directs a film, her boyfriend's the star.

- Mas Pinabonggang Sumbong Sumbong Kay Bonggang Bonggang Bongbong takes on people going to gym taking pics, people posting comments even when they're together on occasions, and women posting vacation pics without their pals.



- Today's Balitang Ina topic is booking for vacations!

- This boy's manners are too good...

- It's pinching time!

- Basa-basa pik!

The Destined To Be Yours Finale

Throughout a short period of time, sadly, GMA's TV drama Destined To Be Yours highlights the life and times of Benjie (Alden Richards) and Sinag (Maine Mendoza) as they overcome against all odds and destined to be themselves in the face of times.


In the final episode of Destined To Be Yours, after the Obispo family's old home in Pelangi is saved from being demolished, Benjie learned the truth about why his grandfather, Vicente, lied about what happened to him and Sinag just to part themselves. Meanwhile, Sinag and her family are packing up to go to America while Benjie and his mother returned to the Philippines to find Sinag. However, it was too late as Benjie presumed that Sinag and his family left the country.

Saddened about Sinag's departure, Benjie traveled through Pelangi by himself and when he arrived at the very place where he and Sinag made a promise, Benjie finally encountered Sinag and reunited at long last.

The next day, Benjie and Sinag got married and they can finally start a new life altogether.

That concludes the story of Destined To Be Yours. Although this show ended on a short run, it was a start for the breakthrough love team, AlDub, as they showcased us how much love is tested through time and against all odds, they are destined to be themselves. Although not enough, this show will be remembered as a landmark for the phenomenal love team and here's for more AlDub in the future.

Friday, May 26, 2017

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


- Onto the Martial Law in Mindanao, President Rodrigo Duterte hinted of possible implementation of ‘curfew’ in some parts of Mindanao following the Marawi Siege that led him to declare martial law in the entire island.

- Meanwhile, Senate President Franklin Drilon believes that President Duterte has no basis in declaring Martial Law in the whole country since the problem in Marawi City can be resolved by the combined forces of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

- The Land Transportation Office's official vehicles stripped off their tints. Attorney Francis Almora, law enforcement services director of LTO, led the removing of tint from official vehicles of the agency.

- According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, about fifty members of the Maute Terror Group are guarding Abu Sayyaf Leader Isnilon Hapilon.

- Coach Freddie Roach is dismayed over the performance of boxer-senator Manny Pacquiao during his recent sparring session. According to him, it would be better for him if he get some foreign sparring partners to improve his boxing skills while getting ready for the July 2 fight against Jeff Horn.

- For this year's offering at the Worthersee event, Volkswagen will showcase a  Golf GTi First Decade concept featuring a hybrid powertrain producing 396HP of power.


- BMW unveiled the 8-Series Concept, which serves as a preview of the return of the 8-Series grand tourer coupe.


- Meanwhile, BMW made a race-spec GT4 version of the M4 Coupe fit for racing purposes.


- This year's Pikachu outbreak will have more Pikachus in Yokohama's Minato Mirai than the previous outbreaks since the event started in the summer of 2014.

TTFN!!!

Thursday, May 25, 2017

THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS LITTLE STARS! Étude wa Ikkyoku dake

THE IDOLM@STER
CINDERELLA GIRLS LITTLE STARS!
Étude wa Ikkyoku dake

As you have fun watching the latest Cinderella Girls Gekijo shorts every Tuesday nights, the second closing theme from the CG Gekijou anime shorts has arrived and this one is dramatic enough to grab your fancies into liking this latest closing song.

This latest CG Gekijou closing song is titled Étude wa Ikkyoku dake, and the Cinderella Girls behind this song are Rin Shibuya (CV: Ayaka Fukuhara), Haruna Kamijo (CV: Mina Nagashima), Nao Kamiya (CV: Eriko Matsui), Ranko Kanzaki (CV: Maaya Uchida), and Miyu Mifune (CV: Sayaka Harada). 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:

01 エチュードは1曲だけ
02 エチュードは1曲だけ 渋谷凛ソロ・リミックス
03 エチュードは1曲だけ 上条春菜ソロ・リミックス
04 エチュードは1曲だけ 神谷奈緒ソロ・リミックス
05 エチュードは1曲だけ 神崎蘭子ソロ・リミックス
06 エチュードは1曲だけ 三船美優ソロ・リミックス
07 エチュードは1曲だけ オリジナル・カラオケ
08 lilac time ピクニックライブ・アコースティックVer

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe (C213) and All-Terrain

It's the weekend, you're a regular E-Class man, you want to go out but knowing that the normal saloon or estate is a bit too vanilla to you or the full-blown AMG model cramps your style. Well, there are two possibilities you might come across; it's either you are single or you're a dad doing stuff from your sweetie like picking up stuff from the store and taking kids to a practice. Don't worry because Mercedes-Benz offers these kinds of E-Class for a certain kind of E-Class person who's not into either a saloon, estate, or an AMG.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe
2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe interior

Let's start for the bachelors first because for these kind of persons, this is the E-Class they'll be going with; the all-new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe. Starting at 46,493 Euros plus tax and delivery, the new E-Class Coupe offers the same tech and features as the saloon version but with less doors and a much sleeker posture to stand itself out from the rest of the E-Class lineup. 

Under the hood lies a wide range of engine choices just like the one from the saloon version such as a 2.0L petrol, 2.0L diesel, and the more powerful 3.0L V6 biturbo engine equipped with ECO Start/Stop on the E400, producing 333PS of power and 480Nm of torque, shooting this one to a 0-100kph time of 5.3 seconds and limited to 250kph. All of these engines are mated to a 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic transmission.

To make it handle like a sports car, the new E-Class Coupe has a lowered suspension with selective damping so it can behave either like a luxury car in terms of comfort or a sports car in terms of agility. While it was basically an improvement compared to the previous E-Class Coupe, you can still feel its regularity from within and while this is basically a sports car fit for bachelors and bachelorettes, it doesn't feel the enjoyment as expected on the legendary CLK-Class, the E-Class Coupe's predecessor.

It may not be as thrilling as it hoped for but this E-Class Coupe isn't about being a fun-to-drive sports car, this is all about being smooth on the weekend drives and it doesn't need to go fast to see how much of a Mercedes this car is because it's all about the posh parties, the reservations at the fancy restaurant, a trip to the opera house, or whatever fancy you're going right now for the weekends. The new E-Class Coupe is all about mixing business and leisure for those who are all talk, all go, and it's a showcase of what this car can do when you're still a bachelor or a bachelorette.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain

Now for the moms and dads alike; here is the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain, a clear example of why wagons can get easily radicalized into crossovers.

To help differentiate it from the normal E-Class Estate, the All-Terrain features a twin-louvre grille, black wheel arch covers, raised suspension, and pretty much everything about it, and the only engine offered for now is a 2.0L diesel engine with 194PS of power and mated to a 9G-TRONIC gearbox as standard. There will be a six-cylinder diesel engine coming soon but for now, the first-ever E-Class All-Terrain features DYNAMIC SELECT with five transmission modes with a special All-Terrain mode which offers settings for off-road driving and couple that with its 4MATIC all-wheel drive system, you got yourself a go-getter that can get around any weather and any road condition, whether you're in a frozen lakebed or in the Australian Outback for some wrangling. Nothing like trying to make your mamas proud, huh?

While on the subject for being a mom or dad's car, the All-Terrain's real beauty is the spacious interior and with the rear seats present, it has 670 litres of boot space. Not only it is a very accommodating sports utility wagon but also a very spacious one for those who are planning to buy some camping gear on a nearby sports shop (or a thrift store in case they have one).

Price? The All-Terrain starts at 58,102 Euros, that's more than the Estate it was based upon and slightly more than its Audi A6 allroad quattro rival had. It maybe costly to own than either of these two but no matter the pricing, the E-Class All-Terrain is all about making memories families and travel bugs alike. Benefitting from the same stuff from today's E-Class, the All-Terrain feels like everyday's a great day, unless Murphy's Law chewed through the leash like wolves.

And there you have it, if you are single or you're a dad doing stuff from your sweetie but you're an E-Class kind of person knowing that the normal saloon or estate is a bit too vanilla to you or the full-blown AMG model cramps your style, these new variants are for you.

Photo: Daimler AG

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



- Government troops battled numerous militants linked to the Islamic State group holed up in a besieged city in the southern Philippines after attempts to secure volatile areas met heavy resistance. About 100 soldiers were sent to retake buildings and streets in mainly Muslim Marawi City held by Maute terrorists, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State.

- Following the Marawi siege, Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific announced that passengers bound for Mindanao are advised to refund or rebook their tickets. Affected passengers with flight dates from May 25 until 31, 2017 have the option to refund or rebook their tickets within 30 days.

- Indonesian president Joko Widodo urged people to remain calm following yesterday's suspected suicide bombers killed three policemen at a Jakarta bus terminal in an attack authorities said bore the hallmarks of globally inspired Islamist militants. Ten people were hurt in the twin blasts that were detonated five minutes apart by the two suspected attackers in the Indonesia capital late on Wednesday evening, police said.

- British authorities stopped sharing information with the United States regarding the Manchester suicide attack following leaks of details of the investigation that has angered the government, according to reports. Right now, reports told that the suspect behind the attack believed to be traveled to Syria.

- Egypt banned 21 websites, including the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera Media Network for "supporting terrorism", according to reports.

- In case you missed it, Chinese automotive giant Geely has bought Proton and Lotus. Geely owned Swedish car maker Volvo over seven years ago and with both Proton and Lotus now under Geely's control, they have big plans for both.

- Honda teases their next-generation N BOX kei minivan, set go on sale in Japan this fall.

Teaser for next Honda N-BOX

- Actor Kim Woo Bin was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer. His agency was confirmed and sent an official statement to reports about the South Korean actor's condition.

- The teaser trailer for the Castlevania animated series coming to Netflix this summer has arrived.



TTFN!!!

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

FH3 Blizzard Mountain: Range Rooney Holiday

Although I had finished Blizzard Mountain, I'm always more than welcome to come back to do some R&R in the winter wonderland in case I need to get my hands full on the Horizon business and while spending some free time in the frozen funland, I think it's time to call in an old friend to do some business.



And look what I have. It's the good ol' Range Rover I've been saving on the holiday vacation and while it has some bents and bruises since the very start, it's still very usable and serviceable to do some goodwill on and off the road.

So what am I going to do with this on a place like this? Well, I've called on some of the best Land Rover and Range Rover owners across the Land Down Under and take on Blizzard Mountain like there's no freaking tomorrow. This is the turning point to demonstrate just how off-road capable these Land Rovers and Range Rovers are.



I am very familiar about how this latest Range Rover works as well as its 5.0L Supercharged V8 and its latest version of its Terrain Response so I shouldn't have to worry about driving one and for a place like Blizzard Mountain, this can be a walk in the park for this luxury offroader like the Range Rover. So, here goes...





Ah, nothing like having a little holiday than taking a Range Rover on Blizzard Mountain for some rest and relaxation. Another way to beat the crud out of our everyday stress.

What is ETIDAL?



ETIDAL or Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology was established as a result of international cooperation in the ongoing fight against the so-called Islamic State terrorists. Situated in Riyadh, the capital city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ETIDAL's aim is to confront and prevent terrorism by cooperating with governments and promote a culture of moderation.

On May 22nd, 2017, in the Saudi capital, King Salman, US President Donald Trump, and other world leaders inaugurated this Global Center for combating Islamic extremism that plagued the globe. Almost 50 world leaders, mostly representing Muslim countries, attended the inauguration. ETIDAL will have numerous experts spanning across the globe specializing in tackling extremist views. ETIDAL will analyze languages and dialects used by Islamic extremists and develop advanced analytical models for digital media platforms.

ETIDAL Opening ceremony:



Since its recent establishment, ETIDAL will serve as the guiding light and global hub for global efforts against Islamic extremism. It will have unprecedented technical superiority, unequivocal excellence in Ideology Research, novel and innovative software tools, technology that works in all different languages and dialects, and international cooperation.

Read: http://etidal.org/files/En_Etidal.pdf

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



- The Regional Peace and Order Council ordered all security forces to tighten checkpoints across the National Capital Region, following the clash between the Maute Terrorist Group and government troops in Marawi City, which is one of the areas in Mindanao now under Martial Law under the order of the President.

- The court suspends the arrest of former MNLF Chairman and former ARMM Governor Nur Misuari. San Pedro of the Pasig Regional Trial Court Judge Maria Rowen MOdesto made the decision to allow the petition filed by Misuari himself.

- Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno ordered all courts in Mindanao to remain open all all Justices to be in their respective offices amid President Duterte's declaration of Martial Law in the entire island.

- US President Donald Trump visits the Vatican on Wednesday to exchange talks with Pope Francis, after the two men exchanged sharp words during last year's presidential elections. Trump’s meeting at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, his third stop on a nine-day foreign tour due to end on Saturday, is part of his world tour of religions after meeting leaders of Muslim nations in Saudi Arabia and visiting holy sites in Jerusalem.

- Back to the Manchester terror attack, the suspect behind the attack is identified as Salman Ramadan Abedi. A 22-year-old male Mancunian of Libyan descent. Police noted that Abedi's responsible for the suicide attack that killed 22 and injured 59 at the Ariana Grande concert.

- Yesterday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe moves forward with the controversial anti-conspiracy bill despite opposition from the public that feared that this bill could suppress civil liberties. The bill would make it a crime to conspire with others to commit terrorism and a raft of other crimes.

- Sir Roger Moore passed away at the age of 89. Moore was well known for not just being Simon Templar from the TV show, The Saint, but also the third 007 actor who starred in most Bond films than any other Bond actor known from Live and Let Die to A View To A Kill.

- Stuttgart authorities raided the offices of Daimler AG at numerous locations in connection with "preliminary investigations of known and unknown employees due to suspicion of fraud and criminal advertising relating to the possible manipulation of exhaust-gas aftertreatment in passengers cars with diesel engines."

- Saw director James Wan is reported to produce a reboot of the Biohazard/Resident Evil live-action film with Greg Russo reportedly to be its scriptwriter.

TTFN!!!

The Declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao


On late Tuesday evening, during his state visit on Moscow, Russia, Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte declared Martial Law on the Mindanao region of the Philippines following clashes against the Maute Group, which pledged their allegiance with the Islamic State extremists.

Under the 1987 Constitution, the duration of the Martial Law, if declared in an event of a rebellion, will last for around 60 days, but it remains unsure if the President can go beyond that limit set by the Constitution.

To avoid further confusion, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said that the declaration of Martial Law only applies to most parts of Mindanao, including Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

Clashes in Marawi City between government troops and the Maute terrorists continue to erupt and following the harsh situation in Mindanao, President Duterte's Russian visit has been cut short.

Since September 21, 1972, the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos declared the whole Philippines under Martial Law due to clashes against the communist forces. It lasted for almost a decade and right after Marcos was ousted from power, the 1987 Constitution was established and the Constitution states that the limit for Martial Law, if declared, is for 60 days.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Anti-Distracted Driving Law has been suspended


You may remember that last week, the Anti-Distracted Driving Act has became a law and this implementation causes some major confusion among drivers everywhere. I know, it's very confusing.

Due to such confusion, the Department of Transportation has suspended the implementation of the law after the House transportation panel pointed that they should not be enforcing the law before conducting a nationwide information campaign.

Transport officials admitted that they should have done the whole information campaign thing six months from the effectivity of the act.

So, with the ADDA suspended, how will the motorists react to this turn of events?

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



- President Rodrigo Duterte said that his Russian visit is a landmark. Some of the highlights of his official visit to Russia include a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and a a signing of a bilateral agreement that is expected to strengthen the economic ties of the two countries.

- The Philippine National Police Internal Affairs Service is ready to submit its case against Police Superintendent Ma. Cristina Nobleza, who is facing grave misconduct charges due to her controversial relationship with Reener Dongon, a suspected terrorist.

- The British police reported that 22 people, including children, were killed in a suicide attack carried out by one man after an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester on Monday. In response, the singer made her first comment since the attack and in her tweet, she felt heartbroken.

- Japan protested against a letter to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe from a United Nations expert raising concerns that planned legislation targeting conspiracies to commit terrorism and other crimes could allow police to trample civil rights. The lower house of Japan's parliament is expected to approve the bill by now.

- Nokia said it has settled its patent dispute with Apple and also signed a business collaboration deal with the tech giant. Nokia said it would receive an up-front cash payment and additional revenues from Apple, but did not specify the details of the patent deal.

- The chief of Thailand's army says that forces opposed to the military-led interim government were responsible for the bombing in Bangkok on Monday. The bombing occurred on the ground floor of a military-run hospital, near a waiting room reserved for senior military officers, injuring 21 people.

- Iranian president Hassan Rouhani criticizes the United States' policies on the Middle East and pledged to continue with ballistic missile development. Rouhani held his first news conference since his reelection last week.

- The president of UN negotiations to legally prohibit nuclear weapons has unveiled the first draft of the nuclear ban treaty. The draft text denounces the use of nuclear weapons as a violation of international humanitarian law. It says nations should make every effort to prevent their future use. It would require states to pledge never to use nuclear weapons, but also never to develop, produce, acquire, possess, stockpile, transfer or test them. The next round of negotiations on the treaty will begin on June 15th.

- Ford Motor Company named Jim Hackett as the new company president and CEO, replacing Mark Fields, who is officially retiring. Hackett was once the CEO of Steelcase, interim athletic director at the University of Michigan and executive chairman of Ford Smart Mobility LLC since March 2016.

- The Fiat 500L MPV has been given a minor change for the 2018 model year with the addition of the new Cross and Wagon variants in addition to the standard Urban variant.

2018 Fiat 500

- Love Live's Maki Nishikino and Nozomi Tojo, in their cheer girl outfits, are joining the figFIX range. Both are available to order starting at 5,370 Yen plus taxes and delivery and arrives this November.

figFIX Maki Nishikino
Cheer Girl ver.
figFIX Nozomi Tojo
Cheer Girl ver.

TTFN!!!


Kia Stinger

For years, Korean cars have been one of the most redundant cars on the road because not only it is cheap but also horrid not by looks but by the performance they wouldn't get their hopes for. Now though, things have changed as Kia's brand new high-performance sports saloon will challenge all your ideas about Korean cars.

2018 Kia Stinger

This is called the Stinger and by some hunch, it could be Korea's answer to the Alfa Romeo Giulia and some well-known European imports known to many with the price that is very reasonable enough to start with. So, why did Kia decided to make a sports car that promises to upset the Europeans and, more importantly, change the Korean car company's image for the better of it? Good question though but let's go to the part why Kia want to change its image with the new Stinger.

You see, Kia Motors are getting bothered by most people who drive Kias hiding the fact that they actually drove one. Cars, mostly the ones in the current Peter Schreyer-design era like the Forte, the K5, the K7, the K3, even the latest Sorento and the Sportage, you name the rest, often get their KIA badges swapped by some unknown and unofficial aftermarket ones so they believe that what they're driving isn't a Kia but the fact is they are. To respond to such atrocity, they've developed the Stinger, which is a new sports car that will change the way they think about Kias without doing the unthinkable.

2018 Kia Stinger

To make sure the Stinger will not go down in the same fate as the other Peter Schreyer-designed Kias, they made a specially-made badge on the front rather than the usual KIA badge on it. See the letter "E" on it? Sounds misleading but it's a warning shot for speedo boys driving Kias saying "Don't change my emblem, bro!" So, job done for Kia but while the design is heavily inspired from the 2011 GT Concept, it looks more like a K5 on steroids with the rear view that looks conspicuously similar to the Dodge Dart. You can almost never tell the difference between yours and the next guy's car.

2018 Kia Stinger interior

The story doesn't stop here as the interior looks like it came from modern-day Mercedes saloons and if your sights are all Mercedes to you, you can get badly confused thinking that you're driving a Mercedes-Benz in case you're wondering. Even though this is a sporty four-door coupe much like Mercedes's CLS or BMW's Gran Coupe offerings, this is surprisingly luxurious at so many levels and accommodating up to five passengers isn't too shabby either with its ample headroom and legroom good enough to be called a proper saloon car.

2018 Kia Stinger

Now for the coup de grace of the Stinger, the performance, and because it runs on a totally new architecture that can accommodate both rear-wheel and (wait for it) all-wheel drive powertrains, the terms comfortable, quiet, rigidity, and lightweight do come to its vocabulary and perhaps no wonder Kia poached an expert from BMW to make sure it handles like a European sports car. In fact, the Stinger is one of the cars that were tested and tuned on the Nurburgring, which is too surprising for a car made from the land of Korean dramas and K-Pop that behaves like a total diva. It is!

As you may think that because it can be offered with an all-wheel drive system, you may have feared that it's going to have some breakneck understeers too struggling to handle in such conditions but fear not because having torn the pages from the latest Ford Focus RS, the Kia Stinger has Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control system that promises rear-wheel drive agility with adaptability on any road condition so not only it's good enough to take on any weather forecast, it's also intoxicating to drive like a total addict.

The Stinger comes with three exciting engine choices ranging from the 2.2L CRDi-VGT engine with 202PS of power output, 2.0L Turbo GDi engine with 255PS of power output, and the fiery 3.3L Turbo V6 engine producing 370PS of power and 52kgf-m of torque, propelling the Stinger to a 0-100kph time of 4.9 seconds. All three engine choices are mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox with Centrifugal Pendulum Absorber torque converter to help reduce torsional vibrations through the drivetrain as well as its four-piston Brembo brakes with ventilated discs to make it stop with a bit more feel.

For safety, the Kia Stinger comes with a wide array of active safety systems such as automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and for the first time in a Kia, a driver monitoring system that warns the driver when it's time to pull over for a break if it senses drowsiness or other possible scenarios. That sounds like bothersome to us but oh well...

The Kia Stinger is priced from 35,000,000 to 48,800,000 Korean Won, which makes it very affordable to own than any European imports, despite the fact that it is the most costliest Kia to own today, more costly than the K9. So, is this the Kia you've been waiting for? Don't scoff but for a car that promises to be Korea's Giulia to the world, it needs to prove its worth against the competition until its prime time for the challenge. Nevertheless, the Stinger changes the way we think about Kias and despite its misleading "E" badge, it's a forewarning to speedo boys everywhere that warns them that this could be the most promising Korean sports car to enjoy since the deceased Hyundai Genesis Coupe. This is a brave new world for Kia's newest sports saloon that will challenge all your ideas about Korean cars.

Available colors: Snow White Pearl, Silky Silver, Deep Chroma Blue, Panthera Metal, Aurora Black Pearl, and High Chroma Red.

Photo: Kia Motors

Monday, May 22, 2017

Dear Other Self

If you've been given a life-changing choice, which would you pick? Something that you've desired for or something to benefit others? This film examines what will the outcome for a young woman be if she pick either one of the two life-changing choices.

Dear Other Self

Star Cinema's offering for the month of May is called Dear Other Self and this is the ideal film for those who are running short of their Summer Bucket List in case their summer days are drawing to a close. Starring Jodi Sta. Maria, Xian Lim, and Joseph Marco, this film centers on the life of a workaholic woman who was given a choice to either get a promotion or resign from her work to travel the world, giving this film a unique experience for decision-making people who can't decide what will their outcome be.

Because this film centers on the two life-changing decisions she will face, it's either life after promotion or life after resignation from her work, Dear Other Self gives cinemagoers a clear idea what will their choices look like before choosing their path and they can really learn something after watching the film that is very unique, very sensible, and rather basic.

When I said basic, I do mean it because while it pitches the right turns to deliver the ideal path viewers will witness, it's a tad above average or decent for a movie of this magnitude and while this is as average as any other movie you've been so far, it's not half bad to see this movie if your decisions aren't quite up to your choosing and this can clear your thoughts in a mannerism kind of way. Feel free to watch this movie anytime you want and if you have a clear idea what will your decision be, so be it.

My rating: 3.4 out of 5

2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup - NASCAR ALL-STAR



Nothing says Summer is here than the wildly anticipated NASCAR All-Star race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, where the best of the best are giving everything they got to show the oval track who's the all-star boss.

The stakes are high, the suspense is killing the audience, and the race gets hotter and hotter every stage clears. From here, Kyle Larson cleared stage one while Matt Kenseth's car faces mechanical problems, while in stage two, Larson, Jimmie Johnson, the Busch brothers, and McMurray are the top five finishers of this stage, and in stage three, Jimmie Johnson wins this stage.

In the final stage, where the winner is decided, Kyle Busch is named the winner of this series' NASCAR ALL-STAR race after over a decade of trying. Nothing as sweeter than witnessing the man in his M&M's Camry won the race and bringing home the million dollars.

The racers return to Charlotte on the 28th.

Super GT 2017 - Autopolis


As the summer season draws near in Japan, the Autopolis leg of the 2017 Autobacs Super GT Championship heats the competition up to the hottest temperature. Having returned from the schedule since last year's cancellation due to the Kumamoto earthquakes, Autopolis never felt so alive and well for this season and this could be one of the most exciting yet.

Comeback aside, it's another clear win for Lexus's new LC500 racing car as the #36 au TOM's LC500, driven by Kazuki Nakajima and James Rossiter, wins the GT500 class while in the GT300 class, it's a 1-2 Toyobaru finish as the #25 VivaC 86 MC and the #61 Subaru BRZ R&D Sport placed 1st and 2nd respectively. Quite a surprise.

Highlights:



The next race is on Sugo on the 23rd.

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


- Light to heavy rains are expected by the low pressure area that is spotted 600 km east of Basco, Batanes. According to PAGASA, there is little chance for the LPA to turn into a tropical depression inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, it is currently moving towards Japan.

- Philippines Airlines temporarily suspends its flights to Abu Dhabi starting July 8, 2017 to give way to assessment initiatives in mentioned route.

- An influential state-run newspaper applauded China’s anti-espionage efforts on Monday after reports told China had killed or imprisoned up to 20 CIA sources, hobbling U.S. spying operations in a massive intelligence breach.

- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro excoriated opposition protesters on Sunday for setting a man on fire during a demonstration, accusing them of targeting him for being pro-government.

- Over one million players have been pre-registered for the upcoming THE IDOLM@STER Million Live Theater Days app game.

- Actress Sally Hawkins returns to 2019's Godzilla: King of Monsters film, as well as Charles Dance.

- Volkswagen showcases its up! GTi concept car, which is powered by a 115HP 1.0L turbo petrol engine and less than a thousand kilos of weight, resulting to a 0-100kph time of 8.8 seconds and top speed of 197kph.


- Toyota, BMW, Mazda, and Subaru 
have agreed to a settlement amounting to USD553 million to resolve class-action economic loss claims relating to potentially defective Takata airbag inflators, covering owners of nearly 16 million recalled vehicles in the US.

- The "final" film from critically acclaimed Hayao Miyazaki will begin its three-year production this October and Studio Ghibli hires animators for his last feature.

TTFN!!!

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Doctor Who S10E06

Doctor Who S10E06

This is by no means one of the most frightening Doctor Who episodes to date because following the events from last week's show, The Doctor and his allies were summoned by the Vatican to investigate the mysterious book known as the Veritas and the world is in imminent doom due to the translation of the Veritas broke out online.

Throughout the episode, we see a glimpse on how The Doctor dealt with his rival, Missy, during an execution. Great to see one of our favorite villain back for more while learning one of the most shocking backstories from The Doctor until the line between truth and lies have been blurred in this episode.

With danger from unknown circumstances strikes through Earth, how will The Doctor face this new kind of threat head-on without his sight? You'll find out next week for more. Until then, here's what Michelle Gomez, who played Missy in this show, and script editor Nick Lambon had their say in the DW Fan Show webcast.



NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW:

FIA Formula E 2016-2017: Paris


The Paris ePrix leg of the FIA Formula E 2016-2017 Championship has set to a more dramatic tone as Sebastien Buemi from Renault e.dams gave his team the most dramatic win of the year by showing his dramatic performance in front of its home crowd.

Long before the most dramatic win Buemi witnessed in the race, there are some gut-wrenching moments occurred in the Paris ePrix such as Antonio Felix da Costa crashed his car, causing him and Lucas di Grassi spun out on the corner. da Costa's out but di Grassi managed to scaffe it out alive. As the race progresses, Jean-Eric Vergne is crashed through the wall. In the final three laps, di Grassi's crashed unfortunately.

After numerous mishaps later, Sebastien Buemi is the clear winner of the Paris ePrix while 2nd place goes to Jose Maria Lopez from DS Virgin Racing and 3rd place goes to Mahindra's Nick Heidfeld.

Highlights:



The next race is on Berlin, Germany, on the 10th of June.