Saturday, October 28, 2017

The wildfires of Northern California

Every year, there has been numerous cases of wildfires breaking out during the long summer months in America but even though it's already autumn, when the weather's starting to cool down, forests fire still happen. Recently this month, one of the worst forest fires in American history occurred somewhere in Northern California.


It was since the 8th of October when forest fires broke out in California's Wine Country, mostly Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino, killing about 42 people, destroying over 7,500 buildings and 10,000 homes, and burning almost 245,000 acres, according to reports.

It was known to be one the deadliest firestorms occurred in the Golden State and numerous firefighters are struggling to contain the blazes that keeps on worsening due to the continued dry, windy conditions. No one knows what caused this blaze, most speculate it was unseasonably high temperatures, tinder-dry conditions, and gusty winds.

Some people say it was arson that caused the flames in California as a certain right-wing media published the article about the arrest of a homeless man accused of felony arson. The man in question, immigration officials said has been returned twice to Mexico, told deputies he set the Maxwell Farms Park in Sonoma Valley in flames, sparking debate about immigration issues. A Sonoma County sheriff downplayed that claim.

Speaking of arson, there was another wildfire occurred in Northern California two weeks later, amid the blitz in the Wine Country. Known as the Bear Fire incident, authorities believed that a man is suspected behind the blaze at the Santa Cruz Mountains over an apparent dispute, burning 391 acres and destroyed two homes, four outbuildings, five recreational vehicles and 17 vehicles.

Right now, the most devastating blazes occurred in the Golden State have been nearly contained but the main trouble now is how will they take care of the mess and rehabilitate areas affected by the monster blazes occurred throughout this month. With all the debris, ash, and even hazardous materials littered around in the aftermath, it seems that the cleanup would take a while but there's one thing that bugged me the most. How would the people in the affected areas think about what happened this month when a popular winery destination in America became an inferno no one saw it coming? Whether if its natural causes or man made, there is a clear case that forest fires are hard to prevent in these modern times but with lessons learned from this tragic event, here's hoping that Californian's should be extra prepared in any event a forest fire would strike the Golden State.

Further reading:




Bubble Gang - October 27, 2017 #BGExorcist

On the October 27, 2017 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Exorcist gags

- Enter the horror booth at your own risk!



- A man bothers at someone else's selfies...

- House for sale (some not for sale...)

- Welcome to the Cyber Cafe




- Ngetflix presents PANG-IT


- Funeral debts.

- Guardian angels intoxicated by potty humor.

- Basa-basa-pik!

Friday, October 27, 2017

Barangay Ginebra defends PBA Governor's Cup title for 2017

The battle between Barangay Ginebra and the Meralco Bolts in the 2017 PBA Governor's Cup finals lasted for about seven games and because each team scored three wins, this final game held at the Philippine Arena became the ultimate decider to see which team will claim the title once and for all.

Image: Official PBA Twitter

In the finale jam-packed full of crowds in the world's largest indoor arena, this battle became one of the greatest moments in PBA history as Brgy. Ginebra trumped Meralco at the score of 101-96, more than enough to clench their first-ever back-to-back title.

LA Tenorio was crowned the game's MVP after scoring 26 points to ensure Ginebra's success. Import player Scottie Thompson and Mark Caguioa did rather well in the game with the combined 18 point shootout against the Bolts.

This marks the 10th championship win for Brgy. Ginebra after the match that garnered 54,086 spectators, a record high at the Philippine Arena.

URL: http://www.philstar.com/sports/2017/10/27/1753208/ginebra-survives-meralco-scare-completes-title-repeat

CONGRATULATIONS TO BRGY. GINEBRA FOR BEING THE 2017 PBA GOVERNOR'S CUP CHAMPIONS!

How to dress as Aikatsu Stars characters

It's the Aikatsu franchise's 5th anniversary so let's celebrate by teaching you how to be as one of your favorite Aikatsu idols. I already talked about how to be as your favorite Aikatsu characters from Ichigo to Akari. Now, it's time to talk about how to be the stars of Aikatsu Stars. Ahem, the TV show, not the girl group behind the Aikatsu songs.

Aikatsu Stars (movie)


First aired on TV Tokyo in the spring of 2016, Aikatsu Stars is the successor story of the hit Aikatsu franchise and it centers on a brand new story of friends Yume Nijino and Rola Sakuraba as they are going to fulfill their quest to become the school's finest idols in the same way the four elite students, called the S4, did with their pride and prestige. Using their Aikatsu Cards, the stage is theirs to amaze the spectators.

With the show doing pretty well on TV Tokyo's Thursday night anime block, how's about the time to tell the cosplay world on how to be as one of the Aikatsu Stars characters? It's the Aikatsu franchise's 5th anniversary after all so let's get cracking.

As Yume Nijino: Yume Nijino is the star of the TV series and her goal in her adventure at the Yotsuboshi Gakuin is to be one of the few who can surpass the S4, especially Hime Shiratori. To be Yume, it's best to find a long blond hair and then give it some nice twintails to it. Be advised that her blond hair has some pink gradation on it so how about spray some pink paint below the hair before making twin tails on it. For a final touch, add a ribbon to the left side of your hair. With the hairstyle set, feel free to choose whatever outfits you want; either a standard uniform from season one, the S4 uniform from season 2, and more recently, the Rainbow Berry Parfait outfits.

As Rola Sakuraba: Rola bears the same ambition as Yume and together, they are both friends and rivals at the academy. Unlike Yume who bears cuteness, Rola's taste for rock and roll really suits her onstage. No wonder in Season 2 she bears the Spice Chord name from the now-graduated Tsubasa Kisaragi. She's also bearing the craziest ponytail ever attempted to those who had a pink hair and make do with it but if you really did attempt to recreate Rola's hairstyle, then congratulations. You are free to pick outfits for this cosplay. Oh, and mind the big taiyaki costume.

As Hime Shiratori: Hime is one of Yotsuboshi's elite students known as the S4 and the one Yume idolizes at from the very beginning. She bears the My Little Heart name, which Yume shares from her at the start. Being Hime is as simple as having a long blonde hair and a sky blue ribbon to contemplate the look. Then, feel free to select her outfits ranging from the S4 uniform or any of the My Little Heart outfits.

As Tsubasa Kisaragi: One of the coolest members of the S4, Tsubasa is the bearer of the Spice Chord name, which Rola inherited from her. Recreating Tsubasa for this kind of cosplay is as easy as a simple long blue hair and some added ponytail on it. Then, you are free to pick any of her outfits ranging from her S4 uniform and her Spice Chord outfits, just to know how elite she is.

As Yuzu Nikaido: Yuzu is quite the happiest S4 member and so happy, she even remained on duty when her colleagues' post were inherited from Yume, Ako, and Mahiru. She is the bearer of the Shiny Smile name. As we all know, a long blonde hair is the starting point to recreate Yuzu but the crazy bit is recreating her pom-pom twin-tail look which requires patience. If you got her pom-pom twin-tail look right, you are free to select her outfits for this cosplay.

As Yozora Kasumi: Yozora is the fashionable member of the S4 and she belonged to a very successful family. She has been in every issue of the AIKATSU STYLE girls magazine, making her a photogenic idol in her own right. There's nothing special about her hairstyle, really. Just a long brown hair and that will do the trick. Then, feel free to select her outfits whatever you like.

As Koharu Nanakura: Koharu is Yume's childhood friend and when it comes to fashion trends, Koharu's come prepared. However, following Yume's onstage incident, Koharu left to Italy with her family without saying goodbye to Yume. In Season 2, the two reunited at Venus Ark and Koharu's under Elza's control as her designer but thanks to Yume's friendship, Koharu is back at the academy where she belongs and now enlisted as the designer for Yume's brand new Rainbow Berry Parfait line of outfits. Her hair is short and lavender colored while bearing a flowery hair accessory to her right. If you managed to get this simple hairstyle right, the outfits are up to you; either the standard uniform, the intermediate uniform (the one with the purple jacket on it), the Venus uniform, or any of the outfits she wore in the show.

As Ako Saotome: If there's something to describe about Ako Saotome, it's because she's caught in a love triangle against Yume over a member of the M4 named Subaru. Well, never mind about that but to be Ako, first try to get a long orange hair to work with and then the top has to look like a big bow. Then, the finishing touch would be Ako's trademark ribbon which will take about a fortnight to recreate it from arts and crafts. Once settled, the rest is up to you.

As Mahiru Kasumi: Mahiru is the youngest sister of S4's Yozora and M4's Asahi. Yes, greatness runs in the family, but what makes Mahiru different to the family is she knows karate. Her hairstyle is based on her long peach-colored hairdo but what's on her left is everyone's guess or dare so feel free to recreate Mahiru's hairstyle anytime if you like before picking whatever outfits you like.

As Lily Shirogane: Lily is a girl of a mystery. No one knows who she really is, except she and Yuzu are close friends. She is the bearer of the Gothic Victoria name. Her hair is white and long so this should be easy but the difficult bit is her signature hair accessory in her right side, which would take a fake purple gem, fake purple feathers, and some purple felt paper to make it. Clippings recommended. Once done, the outfits are up to you. Cue the chainsaws, ladies.

Next time, I'll explain to you how to dress as the Venus students from Season 2!

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: US defense chief in South Korea amid North Korea nuke threats



US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in South Korea on Friday to meet with the nation's top defense officials and American military commanders on the front line in countering North Korean threats.

Mattis is emphasizing the Trump administration's push for a diplomatic solution to the problem. But he also has said the US is prepared to take military action if the North does not halt its development of missiles that could strike the entirety of the United States, potentially with a nuclear warhead.

Making his second trip as defense secretary to the US ally, Mattis will meet with South Korean officials as part of an annual consultation on defense issues on the Korean peninsula. He'll be joined in Seoul by the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford.

Source: AFP

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



- Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog was fired from his post by the Office of the Ombudsman following his on leave and said to be out of the country after being linked to drugs by President Duterte as well as his "unlawful acquisition of wealth."

- The Philippine National Police imposed a 15-day gun ban in preparation for November's ASEAN summit. PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa has approved the recommendation of National Capital Regional Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde to suspend the permit to carry firearms outside residence from Nov. 1 to 15.

- Paolo Duterte, the son of President Rodrigo Duterte and Davao City Vice Mayor, will retire from politics when his term ends in 2019 but his sister Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will run as representative of the first congressional district of Davao.

- The House of Representatives narrowly passes the budget legislation that will allow Republicans to pass its tax plan without Democratic help, paving way for $1.5 trillion tax cut that will be passed through each chamber before Thanksgiving, with the differences t then be hashed out before the end of the year, and then send a bill to President Donald Trump for his signature.

- A draft resolution from the United Nations would condemn attacks that sent over 600,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing from Myanmar to Bangladesh and call on Myanmar's government to immediately halt military operations in Rakhine state.

- The Citroen C4 Cactus crossover gets a minor change for the 2018 model year, featuring a brand new Progressing Hydraulic Cushion suspension that adds a pair of secondary hydraulic dampers into each coil-sprung suspension corner, where they replace the traditional rubber bumpstops at the top and bottom of the wheel travel.

2018 Citroen C4 Cactus

- Alpine unveiled the A110 Cup racing machine for use in the upcoming Alpine Europa Cup coming this 2018.

Alpine A110 Cup

- The Contra shooting video games will spawn a live-action film and TV series from China.

- Konami will release Metal Gear Survive globally this February.

TTFN!!!

Idol Time PriPara: Yume Allstar Live!

Idol Time PriPara: Yume All-Star Live!

The latest anime series, Idol Time PriPara, sees the hilarious adventures of Laala Manaka and Yui Yumekawa on the road to become the best idols in PriPara while dealing with new and familiar faces ever stepped into Paparajuku as well as vying for the top spot with the chance to be escorted by one of the WITH boys to the goddess known as Falala A Larm. As little girls can't get enough with the newest PriPara series, there's a new 3DS game based on the hit TV series that will make everyday Idol Time!

Yume Allstar Live features an all-original storyline inspired from the hit TV series as players get into the new kind of PriPara story with their favorite characters from the TV series such as Yui Yumekawa, Nino Nijiiro, Michiru Koda, Shuka Hanazono, even familiar faces like Laala Manaka, Mirei Minami, Sophy Hojo, and more! You'll never know who will ran into while trying to impress the Paparajuku crowd with a wide array of outfits to collect and win, songs to master, and more, aiming to be recognized by Falala herself!

Just like past PriPara games, players can customize their own character from the hair color, skin color, eye color, eyewear, and hairstyles, including those that were from the arcade games and the special 3DS-exclusive hairstyle. You can even use hairstyles and hair colors inspired from your favorite characters as well and mix it all up to create an idol you desired! After creating an idol, you can create your own outfits and represent the brand of your choosing, such as Yui's Fantasy Time, Nino's Neon Drop, Michiru's Melty Lily, Shuka's Rich Venus, Falala's Clock Garden, and many more. Once you're done, it's show time!

This game features over 30 PriPara hit songs to master, including new songs on this 3DS game. There are two live shows to master; a TV Live and a Runway Live. Both these lives have different phases and if you got what it takes to conquer PriPara, you need to master different songs in different live stages in the hopes of getting the chance to perform with the boys from WITH.

Like trading your TomoTicket with your mate, you can use the 3DS to communicate with another player and trade each others' personalized TomoTicket, just like you do it physically. You can even transfer your progress to the Arcade Game and have your very own PriTicket printed as well. How convenient is that?

LIMITED EDITION: For the ultimate Idol Time experience, there's the LIMITED EDITION Gorgeous Pack priced at 7,800 Yen with limited stocks only. With this, not only you get the main game but also eight different pins featuring Yui, Nino, Michiru, Shuka, Asahi, Shogo, Koyoi, and Falala, especially five special PriTickets featuring Falala A Larm herself! OH MY GORGEOUS!

Speaking of OH MY GORGEOUS like what Shuka said in the show, this game is the ultimate Idol Time experience for the little girls who want a piece of PriPara every day just like what they experienced on the TV show every Tuesday nights and on the arcade games on the weekends. With a new storyline, new ways to customize their idols, new songs to master, and the WITH chance, Yume Allstar Live is going to be the PriPara game good little girls will be rewarded for.

Better start playing, little girls. Yui Yumekawa's watching you and remember, Idol Time is Money!

GT SPORT: Be a driver.

Mazda is known for making some of the liveliest vehicles on the road that combine thought-provoking design, impressive fuel efficiency, and rewarding driving pleasure courtesy of the Japanese car company's SKYACTIV Technology which blends the ideal balance of performance and efficiency at the same time. In a game like GT SPORT, there are two SKYACTIV Mazdas you can try in the game such as the third-generation Mazda Atenza (Mazda6) saloon and the fourth-generation Mazda Roadster (MX-5).

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First, let's begin with the Atenza, known to the world market as the Mazda6. The third-generation Atenza was launched in late 2012 and the exterior design draws inspiration from the Takeri Concept as seen on the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. One of the most interesting bits about the third-generation Atenza is that it comes with a choice of a 2.0L SKYACTIV-G engine (PE-VPR) and this, a 2.2L SKYACTIV-D (SH-VPTR) clean diesel engine lifted from the CX-5 crossover, producing 175PS of power and fuel economy by JC08 standards of 20km/L (22.4km/L with the all new SKYACTIV-MT transmission), making it one of the most efficient midsize saloons on the market. It is the first to introduce a new kind of Regenerative Braking System called i-ELOOP and i-ACTIVSENSE, which is a series of Mazda's advanced safety technologies designed to aid the driver in recognizing hazards, avoiding collisions, and reducing the severity of accidents when they cannot be avoided.

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This particular Atenza is not the Atenza we fell in love with in 2012. In fact, this is the facelifted version that was launched in Japan in early 2015. It's been given a refreshed exterior design, and a new interior featuring Mazda Connect, and that's it. What it still retains is the choice of engines, especially the strong-selling diesel variant that I'm driving now, and even with a different face, it's still the Atenza we fell in love with since 2012. Just by experiencing how the SKYACTIV magic feels in this midsize saloon, it's surprisingly lively even for a cheesy oil burner like this one and it feels so easy to drive even for newcomers to GT SPORT.

For a car garnering so many awards and accolades, the third-generation Mazda Atenza really woos the drivers with its perfect balance of style, efficiency, and performance, nothing that you can really expect for a midsize saloon of this magnitude.

20171026015200

Now, what about the fourth-generation Roadster? Launched in 2015, the ND-spec Mazda Roadster (MX-5) continues the predecessors' tradition of valuing aerodynamics over performance, something that draws inspiration from British sports cars of the past. With the lighter bodywork, smaller engine, and rear-wheel drive, the Roadster continues to impress numerous car enthusiasts worldwide and with this latest generation, the ND Roadster still impresses the new wave of car enthusiasts.

Weighing 100kg less than the previous model, the new Roadster is as light as the first-ever Eunos Roadster of 1989, courtesy of their "gram strategy", involving the extensive use of lightweight aluminum materials. In true Roadster tradition, it's powered by a smaller SKYACTIV-G 1.5L petrol engine developing a reasonable 131PS of power and 150Nm of torque while mated with either a 6-speed automatic or a newly-developed SKYACTIV-MT 6-speed gearbox developed specifically for the new Roadster.

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Because of the classic Roadster recipe that has been around for two and a half decades, the Mazda Roadster ND really is a celebration of the past rather than a vision of the future and you can tell from its unique dynamics that makes anyone new to the driving genre a courtesy call to be part of this ever-growing trend. It can be a bit bitey because it's rear-wheel drive but when it comes to understanding how to drive a car in GT SPORT, the Roadster is all about welcoming new drivers with open arms.

So, now that we get to know about the SKYACTIV-powered Mazdas in GT SPORT, how about getting to know these cars better by sending them on a lap around the Indy Circuit layout of Brands Hatch? This should be interesting and scientific because a certain Mazda fan forced me to do so after all that jamming down those Mazda-related articles to his Mazda files. Let's see if he can jam this one.

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As you may know, the Roadster is much more enjoyable to drive than the Atenza because it's lighter but because the Atenza's SKYACTIV-D engine that powers it produces more power than the Roadster, this is going to be a one-sided comparison between the two Mazdas. Anyway, no time for fast talk because it's time to put these two into action.


Both these Mazdas benefit from their SKYACTIV Technology, making them very rewarding to drive from start to finish, but even though the Roadster is very easy to drive, the Atenza's diesel engine gave it a lot of oomph and a lot of aah to go through the extra mile. With the dust settled, time for the results;

Atenza - 1:02.853
Roadster - 1:05.5

The businessman's saloon has beaten the sportscar by about two and a half seconds and that sounds uncanny but worth the shot driving two Mazdas benefitting the ideal balance SKYACTIV Technology possesses.

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With the Atenza and the Roadster, Mazda sure knows how to make cars that can liven up the drivers' sense as if they know how to put the drivers' interests first before everything else. Even on the wrong path, Mazdas remain very engaging to drive and live it to the slogan, these cars make you want to "be a driver." And that is the bottom line.

Thursday, October 26, 2017

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Suspects wheeled around airport where Kim Jong Nam is murdered



The two women accused of murdering Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, were pushed around a Malaysian airport in wheelchairs on Tuesday during a court visit to the crime scene.

Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong are charged with murdering Kim Jong Nam by smearing his face with a chemical nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur's budget international terminal on February 13th.

The two women were brought back to the scene as part of an entourage of court officials, led by trial judge Azmi Ariffin and accompanied by over a hundred police officers and dozens of journalists, on a visit to retrace the events that unfolded before, during, and after Kim Jong Nam's death.

The scene covered numerous areas in the terminal shown in the videos, such as a restaurant where Siti was seen meeting an unknown person, the toilets where police witnesses said both women had gone to after the attack on Kim Jong Nam, the clinic where the victim sought medical aid and the taxi stands where both suspects were seen at after the attack..

Source: Reuters

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


The names of the alleged individuals behind the death of University of Santo Tomas freshman law student Horacio Castillo III have finally been revealed a month after his death. These names are Aegis Juris Fraternity members such as Edric Pilapil, Zach Abulencia, Daniel Ragos, Dave Felix, Sam Cagalingan, Alex Cairo, Luis Kapulong, Kim Cyrill Roque, Ged Villanueva.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines is currently conducting clearing operations and damage assessment in the newly liberated city of Marawi.

- Tropical Storm “Quedan” has maintained its strength as it continues to move over the Philippine Sea, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. The storm, as of 0300 hours Philippine time, was last spotted at 1,250 km East of Casiguran, Aurora.

- Tensions among Republicans about President Donald Trump boiled over as two senators accused Trump of debasing U.S. politics and the country’s standing abroad, a rebellion that could portend trouble for his legislative agenda.

- China’s Communist Party revealed its new leadership helmed by President Xi Jinping, breaking with recent precedent by failing to include a clear successor to the president among the seven-man line-up.

- Coachbuilder Zagato, together with GT Sport, unveiled their newest Vision Gran Turismo entry called the Iso Rivolta Zagato Vision Gran Turismo at the Tokyo Motor Show. It's set to appear in a future update of the game.


Iso Rivolta Zagato Vision GT

- BMW unveiled the X2 sport activity coupe that goes above and beyond any rival past or present in bringing joy and driving pleasure to the segment with its chassis, xDrive, choice of engines, BMW ConnectedDrive and BMW ConnectedDrive Services.

2019 BMW X2

- After the Arrow, the Apollo Intensa Emozione was unleashed. Due for 2019, the IE features a 6.3L V12 engine producing 780HP of power while mated to a 6-speed Hewland gearbox.

2019 Apollo IE

- The Shimada brothers from Overwatch, Genji and Hanzo, are joining the Nendoroid range and they're now available to order from participating retailers and arriving this June.


Nendoroid Genji and Hanzo

- Zura? New Love Live Sunshine figures on the radar. On the figma side, Hanamaru Kunikida joins the lineup and she's now available to order starting at 5,833 Yen, taxes and delivery included, and arrives this July. On the DreamTech side, Ruby Kurosawa, in her Kimino Kokorowa Kagayaiteru Kai costume, is joining the lineup starting at 14,800 Yen and arrives this March.

figma Hanamaru Kunikida
DreamTech Lovelive Sunshine
Ruby Kurosawa
Kimino Kokora Kagayeiteru Ka? Ver.

- For fans of THE IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls, Mio Honda in her new generations costume is joining the FREEing line of figures, starting at 11,852 Yen plus tax and delivery and arrives this April.

FREEing Mio Honda
new generations ver.

TTFN!!!

Torchwood: Aliens Among Us 2

Torchwood: Aliens Among Us, the true sequel of the Torchwood saga set after the dramatic events of Miracle Day, sees Captain Jack and Gwen revived Torchwood from the ground up while dealing with a brand new threat emerging through the streets of Cardiff. In the previous installment, listeners witnessed the newest Torchwood mission from Tyler's arrival in Cardiff, the Ro-Jedda conspiracy, a mysterious agreement between a contractor and an alien race in question, and the lines between the rich and poor have been blurred out of the question. Now it's time for the second installment of the Aliens Among Us saga.

Torchwood: Aliens Among US 2

In the second installment of the Aliens Among Us saga, Torchwood has been reborn but Cardiff's changed much like today's world affairs and as the world keeps getting darker and darker, how can the newly revived Torchwood deal with today's harsh scenarios. Fans can expect what's next in four additional new missions that will keep them hanging through the cliffhanger. The first one sees the sudden disappearance of Captain Jack while Torchwood deals with the new mayor of Cardiff as well as an extremist group wreaking havoc throughout the Welsh metropolis. The second one sees the team solving the mystery of the Ritz Towers and the return of a familiar foe. The third one sees the Deliverables conspiracy, and finally, this is where it gets even interesting, the extrajudicial killings of refugees on the streets of Cardiff.

Every chapter packs more suspense compared to the first installment and because Aliens Among Us draws some inspiration from today's world affairs, you can really tell that you can relate the moments you've witnessed on these new missions to what's happening in the world today, giving a parallel taste between fact and fiction at the same pace. This is classic Torchwood at its very finest, even in its terrifying pace because of the highly relatable storyline that blends what's real with what's not in a typical Torchwood fashion.

Catch up on the first volume before getting your hands on the second volume of Aliens Among Us and don't miss the third installment of this new Torchwood saga coming this early 2018!

THE IDOLM@STER MILLION LIVE! M@STER SPARKLE 03

Continuing on the celebration of the release of THE IDOLM@STER MILLION LIVE! Theater Days app game, the third installment of the M@STER SPARKLE CD lineup inspired from the app game has arrived and now with three out, only five planned releases are left on the range.

THE IDOLM@STER MILLION LIVE!
M@STER SPARKLE 03

In M@STER SPARKLE 03, the the idol highlights are Serika Hakozaki (CV: Momo Asakura), Minako Satake (CV: Eri Ozeki), Sayoko Takayama (CV: Yuri Komagata), Konomi Baba (CV: Minami Takahashi), and Shizuka Mogami (CV: Azusa Tadokoro), each performing a brand new song you can expect on this range as well as on the app game later on.

For limited quantities, there's even a serial code that will grant you a chance to be part of a special mini-event happening this November.

As always, there are eight M@STER SPARKLE installments and with three present, expect more to come in this range but in the meantime, feel free to listen to these new songs in the first installment of this new range and be sure to download THE IDOLM@STER Million Live Theater Days on the App Store or Google Play. Contains in-app purchases.

TRACK LISTINGS:

01 Come on a Tea Party!
02 満腹至極フルコォス
03 Only One Second
04 To...
05 SING MY SONG

Forza Motorsport 7: AMG GT R vs. COTA

While in a middle of a hangover from last week's USGP held at the Circuit of the Americas as well as the one where the world's fastest man is riding shotgun with the AMG GT R round the track, that moment gave me the inspiration to drive the Mercedes-AMG GT R round COTA just like what happened last weekend in the Texas-based F1 circuit.



Wait, what? AMG GT R? In COTA? Again? Didn't I done that before in that other game? Okay, you got me fair and square. I once tried driving that car on the said track on P******t C**S 2 just to get a glimpse of what it feels like driving Mercedes-AMG's beast of Green Hell on the venue of the F1 USGP. With Forza 7 featured the same car and the same track, it won't be long until I see the difference when I put the same car on the same track using two different racing games. So much for being a racing genius, eh?



Anyway, the Mercedes-AMG GT R delivers the motorsports knowhow from the AMG GT3 racing machine to the track while delivering some road-legal manners as an everyday sportscar.

It uses a specifically-tuned version of the AMG 4.0L V8 BiTurbo engine producing 585HP of power and 700Nm of torque while mated to a 7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT. It does 0-100kph in 3.6 seconds and onwards to 318kph.

The AMG GT R features a new aerodynamics profile in the underbody that when engaged in RACE mode, it sucks the car onto the road and reduces the front-axle lift by around 40kg at 25kph. Other noteworthy features of the AMG GT R includes the active air management system, AMG coil-over suspension, active rear-wheel steering, AMG TRACTION CONTROL, rear-axle LSD, and speed-sensitive sports steering.



That other day, I tried that other racing game to get the feeling of what is like driving the AMG GT R round COTA. Now with Forza 7, let's see if there is a difference between the two games when it comes to driving the same car on the same track, regardless of my driving style.



After a lap round COTA, the Mercedes-AMG GT R did it in 2:25.908, although not as fast as what a German industrialist would attempt in his spare time, there is of course one scientific conclusion we can all agree with.

Truth is, it doesn't matter which car you're driving at or which track you're on. It all depends on the games themselves. Forza 7 delivers a much customizable driving feel and when set to SIMULATION, it wants to give drivers a more realistic feel but on that other game I tried the other day, that true-to-life driving physics really sets the men apart from the boys when it comes to get a sense on how a car like this handles. Although not a very professional opinion as such, it really is a lesson I can really learn from these two games because by putting the same car on the same track, the difference between the two games are slightly profound but for me, they're much harder to match the reality of driving.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

GT SPORT: Renaissance du mythe

It's time to introduce one of the cars that are certified "Gran Turismo exclusive" in the new GT SPORT video game on the PlayStation4 and one of these certified "Gran Turismo exclusive" cars is none other than Peugeot's return to the hot hatch battle, the 208 GTi.

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Yes, really, this is the new Peugeot 208 GTi, a grand return to form from a company that is stuck making dreary boxes for too long. In other words, for the first time, a Peugeot that can really make your heart pulse. By reviving the GTi nameplate as seen from the mythical 205 GTi, the 208 GTi tries draw some inspirations from a legendary hot hatch in terms of driving characteristics and by a margin of a doubt, it is.

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It's light, it's easy to drive, and in this all new "208 GTi by PEUGEOT SPORT", it's surprisingly very spritey indeed. The pre-facelifted 208 GTi has a 1.6L THP engine that produces 200PS of power output. This facelifted version has 208PS of power, 8 more than the old one, and 300Nm of torque. This results to a 0-100kph time of 6.5 seconds, .5 seconds quicker than the old 208 GTi, while retaining its 230kph of top speed.

Apart from that, the 208 GTi by PEUGEOT SPORT draws some cues from the limited-edition 208 GTi 30th Anniversary special variant such as the Torsen limited slip differential, recalibrated ESP and traction control that you can have it on or off on the go, redefined suspension geometry for lower centre of gravity, recalibrated steering, and new damper settings and spring rates, resulting to a hot hatch that is proven to be better than the best and for Gran Turismo fans, this is good news because if you have many things to hate about a hundred thousand or a million dollar supercar or an overpowered muscle car, consider this hot hatch one of the many things you'll love about GT SPORT.

So go on then, get giddy, you know you wanted to drive this hot Peugeot. Even I always wanted to drive a hot Pug like the 208. It's time to demonstrate just how much you'll love about the 208 GTi on a drive round Tokyo. Let's do this.



Impressed? I bet you are because with cars like these, there's no doubt you would definitely want to come back playing GT SPORT for some GT-exclusive rides like the 208 GTi.

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Always wanted to say this but here goes, ahem, the Peugeot 208 GTi - A GRAN TURISMO EXCLUSIVE CAR.

Mirai no Bokura wa Shitteru yo

The long awaited second series of the Love Live! Sunshine!! sees the Aqours heroes in a middle of a all or nothing situation when they heard that their school, the Uranohoshi Girls High, is about to get merged with another school and shutting its doors for good. With the upcoming Lovelive complicating their schedules, the Aqours heroes will give everything they got to save their school and their reputation as school idols, no matter what lays ahead to them.

In honor of the second series, the new opening theme song has arrived and those who witnessed the beginning are rewarded with it.

Mirai no Bokura wa Shitteru yo

This new opening theme song is just one of the many reasons why we love listening to some Aqours songs for our free time, in fact, we even got our chance to play with it on the Love Live! School Idol Festival app game from EASY to EXPERT (or MASTER if it's here). Now that the full version of the second series' opening song is here, it's definitely worth the wait.

Be sure to keep watching the second series of the Love Live! Sunshine!! TV series to see what's next for the girls!

TRACK LISTINGS:
01. 未来の僕らは知ってるよ
02. 君の瞳を巡る冒険
03. 未来の僕らは知ってるよ(Off Vocal)
04. 君の瞳を巡る冒険(Off Vocal)

Project CARS 2: AMG GT R vs. COTA

For today's Project CARS 2 session, time to take the spin with the ultimate AMG track monster in one of America's most demanding racetracks in history, so demanding, it even hosted the USGP of the Formula One championship. I'm talking about driving the AMG GT R round the Circuit of the Americas.

AMG GT R

Of course, you might ask that I have been awoken from the moment when you saw the AMG GT R driving round COTA before the USGP race started last weekend, with the world's fastest man riding shotgun, and that moment of seeing the beast of the Green Hell going around the Texas-based racetrack gave me the idea to do my thing here on Project CARS 2.

AMG GT R

The AMG GT R is a high-performance variant of the AMG GT sportscar that uses an specifically tuned version of the AMG 4.0L V8 BiTurbo engine that produces 585HP of power and 700Nm of torque while mated to a 7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT. It does 0-100kph in 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 318kph.

Apart from the speed it delivers, the GT R features a new active aerodynamics profile hidden underneath the body and when in RACE mode, the aerodynamics produces a Venturi effect, sucking the car onto the road and reduces the front-axle lift by around 40 kilograms at 250 km/h. It even has an active air management system which lets the louvers control the airflow, the AMG coil-over suspension that was suitable for track duty, active rear-wheel steering, AMG TRACTION CONTROL that isolates the grip on the driven wheels and does not affect the stabilisation provided by the ESP, rear-axle limited-slip differential, and speed-sensitive sports steering.

AMG GT R AMG GT R

Listening to that crisp V8 exhaust note, despite the turbochargers, the GT R really is all bark and all bite and with all that motorsports knowhow deployed to this car, the GT R is an extreme track toy in its own right, although in the case of aggressive driving scenarios, best to watch out for any anomalies the GT R possess, like for instance, in the event of sliding, it feels like the steering's offline, making it difficult to regain grip through the corners during oversteering. Trust me, it happened to me but if you are experienced enough to ride this ride, you can do things no one else can in an AMG GT R. It may feel dynamic but the more you're driving it, the more you're having fun with it.

Well, with easier said than done, I made a little clip of driving the AMG GT R round COTA GP in a typical Mercedes-AMG test driver kind of way, just to have the sense of what is like driving it in an American Formula 1 circuit located in the Lone Star state.



AMG GT R

Well, (chuckle) not the best I can do with it but it goes to show that even though the AMG GT R has some of the motorsport pedigree derived from the AMG GT3 racing machine, in an event of aggressive driving situations, you need to tread carefully or you'll be stuck sliding with the steering wheel offline while trying to regain grip. Still, I had fun driving AMG's latest offering round Circuit of the Americas.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: South Korea and China's defense ministers meet



The defense ministers of South Korea and China held their first bilateral talks in nearly in two years, taking a meaningful step toward re-establishing relations chilled by a standoff over the deployment of the THAAD missile defense system in South Korea.

South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo met with his Chinese counterpart Chang Wanquan for about half an hour in the Philippines on the margin of a regional security forum, ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus.

But he did not elaborate what was discussed in the talks, citing a deal with China to keep related information classified.

Another official pointed out that such meeting between the two nations is meaningful in itself, as it represents both sides' desire to improve ties despite the THAAD issue.

South Korea and China are major trade partners with massive cultural exchanges. China's cooperation is crucial in resolving the North Korea nuclear issue.

Source: Arirang News

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



- The Norwegian Government named a new special envoy to the peace process between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. The Oslo-based Idun Tvedt is the new facilitator of the Philippine government and the communist movement's armed-wing's peace talks.

- President Rodrigo Duterte will once again visit Japan this month for a three-day working visit ahead of two regional summits.

- US President Donald Trump will be visiting Manila on November 12 and 13 but will leave before the East Asia Summit, a key regional meeting involving leaders of over a dozen countries.

- Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar made a sexual reference against members of the European Union weeks ahead of the expected arrival of world leaders in the Philippines for the ASEAN meeting. He spoke in front of the Filipino community in Britain, Andanar, inspired by his superior's tirade against the EU, criticizes the EU's lack of credibility which triggered Brexit last year.

- Congress is debating a bill that would extend US President Donald Trump's power to spy on American citizens for six years without needed safeguards against abuse. However, a bipartisan group of lawmakers strongly oppose the so-called Section 702 extension. On an unrelated note; a new bipartisan bill in Congress called the HONEST Ads Act will modernize disclosure laws for online political ads and help bolster the integrity of the election. The bill will improve transparency rules by recruiting big social media and online advertising sites to disclose who is paying for the ads, who is being targeted, and how much the ads cost.

- Mazda unveiled the Kai Concept and the Vision Coupe Concept at this week's Tokyo Motor Show, showcasing the future of their design philosophy.

Mazda Vision Coupe Concept
Mazda Kai Concept

- Nissan unveiled the IMx Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, which showcases full capabilities of ProPILOT and 600km of driving range in one full charge.

Nissan IMx Concept

- The Subaru VIZIV Performance Concept has been unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show, previewing the next generation of Subaru's high performance sports saloon with cutting-edge driving assist features.

Subaru VIZIV Performance Concept

- Mitsubishi unveiled the e-Evolution Concept which illustrates the strategic direction of a renewed MMC brand that incorporates the strengths of SUV, EV, and the ability to integrate new systems for a connected mobility customer experience.

Mitsubishi e-Evolution Concept

- The Honda Sports EV Concept was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show

Honda Sports EV Concept

- Toyota showcases the Lexus LS+ Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, previewing the next generation of Lexus design.

Lexus LS+ Concept

- To prepare for the Yo-Kai Watch Shadowside film, hitting theaters this December, Bandai releases the toy replica of the one as seen in the film, called the Yo-Kai Watch Ogre. On sale this early December, the DX Yo-Kai Watch Ogre comes with the Fudou Lightning Sword that you can insert it to the watch. It comes with different sound and lighting effects every time you twist it.

DX Yo-Kai Watch Ogre
and Fudou Lightning Sword

TTFN!!!