The Cute Wall (Volume Eighteen)

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



(applause)

Back in business, baby! And the wall's now better than ever. Look what happened to this wall while we left. It's now clean, the list's intact, and's now heavily fortified with some military grade materials. Resistant to slashes and explosions. Even the likes of idiots like Shogunyan and Robonyan...

Type F.

(audience laughing)

Yeah. Robonyan Type F. No one told me that he has a nuke on his wireframe that violates all UNSC treaties and it was therefore outlawed by international law. Not to mentioned it was used to blow up the meteor in one fell swoop.

(audience laughing)

Hey, care to guess how this heavily fortified wall made from? I have a tape and I'll show it to you.

Go ahead...

(tape clicks)

(static)

Wait...what are those? Are those...elves?

More than elves...

Gnomey

...these are Gnomey.

Gnomey?

Yep. These little fellas from Yo-Kai Watch who did all these. Well, except for one because a certain Gnomey became dinner time for someone else.

(audience laughing)

I know, they talk gibberish but let them be. They are Gnomey and they deserve a spot on the wall which I think I'll put it on the CUTE spot.

(audience laughing)

Thanks for that. So, shall we start with this Cute Wall, then?

Okay, and since we watched that Idol Time Pripara TV show, now's the ideal time to meet the stars of the show starting with Yui Yumekawa.

Yui Yumekawa

(audience laughing)

What? Is there's something wrong with it?

Uhh...it's the eyes is what made us noticing about her. So what's with Yui anyway?

I don't know, apart from being the main character of the show alongside Laala Manaka and the idea that she wants to outsmart her brother, who is part of the boy group WITH.

Those eyes? What were they? It's like it uses the same tech from the Torchwood contact lenses.

(audience laughing)

You mean the I-5s?

More than I-5's, her eyes are having some kind of stereo cameras, the same kind of stuff used on modern cars that using autonomous tech such as braking by itself when it sees an object. I don't know. Does her eyes have nightvision? Thermal? Digicam? Biometrics? X-RAY? Ultrasound? Let's bring our old friend, Robonyan Type F, and do a scanning on her.

Good idea!

SEVERAL MINUTES LATER...

Nope. Both of them hit a vine.

Yep. A vine. Wait! Something's wrong with Robonyan!

Oh dear....

Now he turned into a Yui Yumekawa copy.

(audience laughing)

It's a temporary disruption. He'll revert back to normal in no time.

(audience laughing)

What else I can think about Yui Yumekawa's eyes?

Might as will be...Soldier 76's Tactical Visor!

(audience laughing hysterically)

Soldier 76's Tactical Visor?!

Or maybe Widowmaker's Infra-visor!

(audience laughing)

Anyway, enough Overwatch jab now, but with eyes like her's might as well put Yui Yumekawa to the highest spot of the wall; the NAKAKAGIGIL section.

(laughing, then applause)

Who's next?

Nino Nijiiro

Nino. Nino Nijiiro.

Nino...Nijiiro?! Er...um...hold on. Starting to rhyme with someone else. Yui Yumekawa, Nino Nijiiro, those names, it's starting to sound like...

Yume Nijino?!

(audience laughing)

What about the idea that Yui keeps on saying the "yume" term in the show? Maybe one day, she'll turn this show into Aikatsu Stars and her name won't be Yui Yumekawa. It's just Yume Nijino.

(audience laughing)

This is getting off-topic right now, pal. Let's talk more on Nino for the time being. Nino's the sporty type of character and in the world of Pripara, she bears the Neon Drop name while being backed by Dressing Pafe's Dorothy and Reona West. That's all I know so, words?

Oh, she's a toughie, all right and this wall doesn't welcome toughies like her...

(audience laughing)

...so it's NOT CUTE for Miss Nino. That's it.

If you say so. So, what about this one? Her name is Michiru Koda.

Mi...chiru?!

Michiru Koda

Michiru Koda. She's the one with the glasses like Mirei, grayish hair, let's see...mmm...mmm...Oh no!

What do you mean OH NO?

Michiru Koda, once hypnotized under the spell of the Gaarmageddon posse, she bears the name of Melty Lily and in the world of Pripara, she has the will to control everyone. In other words, she has mind control powers. Cross paths with her and she'll mess you up big time!

(audience laughing)

You got to be kidding me!

Guess we know where to put Miss Michiru...

Yeah, you're right. It's going to be at SERIOUSLY NOT CUTE!

(audience laughing)

Well, I guess that's it with the stars of Idol Time Pripara. Let's go back to Pokemon, shall we?

Pokemon it is, then. And while I'm still watching Sun and Moon, I'm still greeted with a bunch of cute Pokemon as seen on TV apart from the ones I've mentioned before. One such example is this...

Steenee

That's a Steenee, I presume?

Yep. That was once Mallow's Bounsweet, evolved. Now, about that Steenee, Rotom Dex states that Steene often attracts a crowd of other Pokemon drawn to its energy and its lovely scent. Anyway, what's not to like about Mallow's Steenee?! Everyone?

(murmuring)

No one? I do! I'll just put it on CUTE so everyone will know!

CUTE?! But I haven't got the chance to talk about it yet! Anyway, what about Alolan Vulpix? It looks cute to me.

Alolan Vulpix

You know, a normal Vulpix is a Fire-type as every Pokemon master knows, but this Alolan Vulpix on Pokemon Sun and Moon is an Ice-type, and as Rotom Dex says Vulpix in the Alola region was once known as [BLEEP], and some older folks still use that name.

Lillie has an Alolan Vulpix that was hatched from the egg. Care to know what name Lillie gave to her newly hatched Vulpix?

(murmuring)

Nope. You're wrong. Lillie named her Vulpix "Snowy".

It rhymes with Squishy from the Zygarde Core.

(audience laughing)

So, how cute is Snowy, ladies and gentlemen? Everyone?

(murmuring)

(Sigh) Guess they didn't know Snowy, didn't they? Maybe few people watched the Sun and Moon TV show. Come on. Watch the anime! Don't care. Just watch! This is anime, ladies and gents! Anime is meant to be watched, not meant to be played!

And we have a winner. Now hush. Hush as I'll put Snowy on CUTE.

(audience laughing)

(thud!)

What was that?!

I don't know? Something big?

Yes. It's that super bear they called Bewear.

Bewear

(audience laughing)

What Bewear is it?

The Bewear that keeps on meddling Team Rocket while making trouble on Ash and pals.

(audience laughing)

This Bewear keeps popping up by land, by air, BY SEA FOR GOODNESS SAKES! It can travel everywhere as if it knows where's Team Rocket at and then carries them back to its safe place, all the time! Care to see clips where Bewear keeps on popping up on Team Rocket's backs?

(audience laughing)

Oh, no no no no! I think I've seen enough of Bewear but since this Bewear's too much, let's put it to NAKAKAGIGIL. Pity about the air part even though Bewear's a Fighting-type.

Yes but here's a little trick: Have Bewear know Aerial Ace, equip it with Flyium Z crystal, and watch it blast off.

(audience laughing)

Say whaaaa.....?!

(whoosh!)

Where did Bewear go?!

It went out to find Team Rocket as always.

(audience laughing)

Let's move on to Aikatsu Stars, shall we? And while on the subject of Venus Ark, we come face to face with names like Elza Forte, Kirara Hanazono, and Rei Kizaki. Let's start with Elza, first.

Elza Forte

(ooohhh)

Wait, Elza Forte. I'm familiar with this woman. The lady in charge of the Venus Ark and a real thorn to Yume and others. It's like I'm receiving an ominous message on my computer that says (ahem) YOU SO FINE, YOU BLOW MY MIND.

HEY MISSY, YOU SO FINE, YOU BLOW MY MIND, HEY...

Missy!

(audience laughing)

Wow, this woman really is like a mistress of doom and she knows how to make Yume miserable under her prying eyes. So, who was that woman really?

I don't know but because she keeps creeping me out like a thief in the night, mind if I put her on the SERIOUSLY NOT CUTE post where safe?

Guess the Queen won't be impressed by this...

(audience laughing)

What about Kirara Hanazono? Everybody loves this character, you know.

Kirara Hanazono?

Kirara Hanazono

Wait! Kirara Hanazono?! That face! That head! I recognize her! Folks, watch out for her head!

What do you mean "watch out for her head?"

Look at Kirara's face, when she looks like this, better stay away folks because if you come contact with Kirara's head...it's "Fly Me To The Moon" for you.

(audience laughing)

(Fly Me To The Moon plays)

So, let me get this straight. If you come into contact into Kirara's head, you'll end up flying through space. Is that correct?

Yeah. One massive head smash is strong enough to send them flying.

(audience laughing)

Still, could be worse. Even anti-tank rifles can't pierce her head off.

(audience laughing)

Really?!

Don't know. Her head's like the Ironhead from Biohazard Revelations 2. You can't pierce its head off with a gun unless you can blind it with a flashlight. That's what Kirara is. Her head's made up of the toughest element known in planet Earth. So tough, not even an all-out pummeling would shatter her head into a million chunks.

(audience laughing)

What else you know about Kirara's head?

Some witnesses say that if Kirara drops from a 45-story building using her head, it creates some kind of, let's say Tectonic Rage!

(ooohhh)

TECTONIC RAGE?! What was that?

When her head's come impact on the surface, it creates a earth-shattering fissure and she keeps on falling until her point of impact is...uh oh...

What do you mean "uh-oh?" Don't tell me she's heading through...

Yep. She's making an impact on the earth's core, causing a massive explosion similar to a thousand nukes!

(ooohhh)

Yikes. That's some scary stuff you mentioned about Kirara Hanazono's head. So, if I had to ask, what is the equivalent force of Kirara's head when she goes like this?

A Meteor Strike.

???

Doomfist's Meteor Strike attack.

(audience laughing)

We better find a way to blow her head off! Maybe Robonyan would do!

No use. That will blow up the whole studio and that's suicidal so it's best to put her in NAKAKAGIGIL until we figure this out.

(audience laughing)

Anyway, what about Rei Kizaki?

Rei Kizaki

Er...umm...sadly, I still had no info on her yet, although she's more than just being Elza's right hand gal. Oh! they did mention that in future episodes, Rei will finally perform under her assumed name, the Royal Sword.

Royal Sword?

Don't know, that's what her assumed name works perfectly well for Rei, but in the meantime, let's want until we get to know Miss Rei better, although her tough attitude shows that she's not my kind of Aikatsu gal.

(audience laughing)

She's tougher than she looks, am I right? Well, I could put her in NOT CUTE, is that correct?

Yeah. NOT CUTE it is...

(audience laughing)

Anyway...uh...hey! USApyon! What are you doing here? Uh...USApyon?

(VADER MODE)

(Pew! Pew! Pew!)

WAAAAHHHHHH!!!!

Run! Run! Run!

(audience laughing)

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

Sion Todo

Aroma Kurosu

Gaaruru

Hibiki Shikyoin

Ako Saotome

Yuri Katsuki

Victor Nikiforov

Grumpy

Chiri Tsukikawa

Lori Loud

Lucy Loud

Lola Loud

Manjimutt

Shogunyan

Mimikyu

Mareanie

*Michiru Koda

*Elza Forte

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

Mikan Shiratama

Junon

Kanon

Pinon

Mahiru Kasumi

Doc

Sleepy

Lily Shirogane

Pepper Taiyou

Lynn Loud

Lana Loud

Dismarelda

*Nino Nijiiro

*Rei Kizaki

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

Sophy Hojo

Dorothy West

Reona West

Falulu

Fuwari Midorikaze

Koharu Nanakura

Sneezy

Non Manaka

Rowlet

Litten

Popplio

Togedemaru

Rockruff

Bounsweet

Lincoln Loud

Leni Loud

Luna Loud

Lisa Loud

Lily Loud

USApyon

Happierre

Tomnyan

K. Koma

K. Jiro

Hidabat

Robonyan

Robonyan F

*Gnomey

*Steenee

*Alolan Vulpix

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

Mirei Minami

Luan Loud

*Yui Yumekawa

*Bewear

*Kirara Hanazono

Second-generation Volvo XC60

For about nine decades, Volvo has been the only Swedish car company in the world to create different kinds of cars that appeal to most people. They made good cars, they made bad cars, it's all about following the circle of life, whatever that is. With Volvo making some of the best cars that appeal to today's millennials in terms of performance, economy, and safety, which is their focal point for Volvo since the XC60. With the XC60, the forefront of Volvo's commitment to create safe cars, now enters its second-generation, the Swedish car company behind this car don't just predict the future, they build it.

2018 Volvo XC60

2018 Volvo XC60

Yes, the XC60 is the brains behind Volvo's safe promises and because it's now on its second-generation, the team that designed it promises to be their most safest XC60 yet, incorporating all their safety know-how from their current lineup to this crossover as well as performance and economy at the same time, making it a well-balanced package for the modern world. Beginning with the exterior design, the new XC60 looks more like a mini-me XC90 of some sorts. There's the signature Volvo grille, the signature Thor's Hammer headlights, the contemporary styling that blends perfectly through the city centers, the rear view auspiciously similar to the XC90, and the wheels, everything you look on this crossover is just almost flawless and that's only the half of the story.

2018 Volvo XC60 interior

On the inside, the new XC60 is suffering the same problem as the other new Volvos because it now bears a monotonous interior design as you would expect from BMW, Audi, or even Renault. This "same-interior-different-exterior" approach is getting too nosy for car lovers but while you mutter about this kind of trend everywhere else, the XC60 boasts a plethora of tech features and concessions of comfort and space that will keep you accommodated for more but as a word of warning, this interior is a war zone in here because this five-seater will be as exhausting as an after-school Citizen Army Training regimen and when the second-row seats got occupied by those child seats, this means war. As long as this interior hasn't turned into a war zone, you are greeted by those luxury car features that will keep you longing for more. From the touch screen, the instrumental panel, the climate control, the Bowers & Wilkins premium stereo, the XC60 is a luxury crossover done right from start to finish.

2018 Volvo XC60

Of course, being a Volvo, you can expect a wide variety of petrol and diesel engine choices available but for those who are begging for power should go for this; the T8 Twin Engine with 407ps of power output courtesy of its twin-charged 2.0L petrol engine and an electric motor. With the 8-speed gearbox and SPA platform, a first for a 60-series Volvo model which is lighter and more rigid than the old XC60, it does 0-100kph in 5.3 seconds and onwards to 230kph. That sounds juicy and quick for a hybrid variant like this but now's not the good time to talk about how fun this car is, even though by Volvo standards, it's not half bad to drive, although in the case of the T8 Twin Engine variant, its all-wheel drive system is tad crazy and bizarre because the petrol engine powers the front wheels only, whereas its electric motor drives the rears, and if you're not careful with it, understeering is very likely and expect to bring some painkillers when your arms got hurt from steering with it.

Apart from the improved chassis that makes the XC60 a well-rounded performer at all corners of the earth, safety is the paramount of this crossover because it comes with class-leading safety tech such as Steer Assist, Oncoming Lane Mitigation, and Blind Spot Information System. Combining these with Volvo's award-winning safety features, the new XC60 lives up to Volvo's commitment that no one will be killed or badly wounded in a new Volvo by 2020.

The all-new Volvo XC60 starts at 402,900 Swedish Krona and while this is twice as expensive as the previous model, which is still on sale as the XC60 Classic, it's less expensive than the XC90, making it a fair value. It maybe expensive for an SUV like this but the new XC60's technological breakthrough should not be underestimated because with such like this, you can expect more from Volvo's promise to create more safe and enjoyable cars for the road ahead.

Available colors: Black Stone SOlid, Ice White Solid, Bright Silver Metallic, Osmium Grey Metallic, Onyx Black Metallic, Luminous Sand Metallic, Mussel Blue Metallic, Maple Brown Metallic, Denim Blue Metallic, Pine Grey Metallic, Fusion Red Metallic, Electric Silver Premium Metallic, and Crystal White Premium Metallic.

Photo: Volvo Cars

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

- Malacañang denied rumors that they are attempting to calm the snowballing public sympathy for the death of 17-year old Kian Delos Santos. Rumors began circulating following President Duterte's meeting with Kian's parents last August 28th.

- President Rodrigo Duterte, meanwhile, attacked the Office of the Ombudsman which he claims practices "selective justice" in an attempt to protect their allies from graft charges.

- Iraqi forces calling their operation to retake a small Iraqi town from the Islamic State militants like opening the "gates of hell" as the fighting is much worse than retaking Mosul last June.

- US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis told that current policy regarding transgender personnel serving in the military would remain in place until he advises President Donald Trump on how to implement his directive on a transgender ban.

- A Guatemalan top court ruled definitely against President Jimmy Morales' internationally criticized push to fire the head of a U.N.-backed anti-corruption unit probing his campaign financing. The decision by the Constitutional Court ratifies a provisional ruling that the government could not expel Ivan Velasquez, a veteran Colombian prosecutor who leads Guatemala’s International Commission against Impunity.

- Prices William and Harry pay tribute to the late Princess Diana on Wednesday, a day before the 20th anniversary of her death. They will meet representatives of the charities Diana supported at Kensington Palace, their current home and where their mother lived until she was killed in a car crash on Aug 31, 1997.

- Porsche's first SUV, the Cayenne, is now on its third-generation and this new model is now comes with powerful turbo engines, new eight-speed Tiptronic S gearbox, new chassis systems and innovative display and control concept.

2018 Porsche Cayenne

- The Bentley Continental GT is now on its third-generation and for its full model change, the new model's 6.0L W12 TSi engine has been mated to an 8-speed DCT for the first time.

2018 Bentley Continental GT

- Nintendo is ending their Miiverse social network service on the 8th of November alongside the Wii U Chat and Nintendo TVii services. Nintendo will remove Miiverse features from compatible Wii U and Nintendo 3DS games in Japan. The affected games will include more than 70 Wii U titles and more than 20 Nintendo 3DS titles.

- Actor Ed Skrein pulled out from the Hellboy remake film amid claims of whitewashing.

TTFN!!!

My adventure in PacSci

Earlier, after a few days of persuading my parents, I got myself a chance to visit the Pacific Science Center for the very first time by myself and this is my one shot at entering one of the most popular destinations in the Pacific Northwest for both people young and old alike.



Open from 10:00 AM until 6:00PM, the Pacific Science Center is a fantastic place for visitors to ignite their curiosity in the name of science. It's located near the world famous Space Needle so if you are in a mood for sight-seeing, feel free to visit the PacSci anytime you like, as long as you're not making a ruckus about it.







Whether if its mechanical science, rediscovering nature, exploring outer space, or learning about how the human body functions, the Pacific Science Center got everyone covered with all of the best this museum has offered and me having an adventure in PacSci is both exciting and scary at the same time but that's the life of being a so-called travel bug like me, you'll never know the ups and downs you might come across.

I'm looking forward to revisit this place anytime I want but before ending this note, there's a very cool special exhibit that I just went before calling it a day; called the Terracotta Warriors, this special exhibit running until the 4th of September is a one-of-a-kind exhibition that features life-size statues and over a hundred artifacts from the first imperial dynasty of China, known as the Qin (sounds like chin) Dynasty.



Witnessing those Terracotta soldiers displayed in this special limited-time exhibit is like living a movie fantasy. It's almost like you're in a movie called The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor in so many ways but hey, this special exhibit was proven so successful, most of the tickets sold out within minutes. However, that didn't stop me from entering this very successful exhibit that showcases the ancient history of China's first dynasty from start to finish.

I have learned a lot of things in the Terracotta Warriors exhibition except for the tomb of the first Chinese emperor which remains a mystery as of right now because no one knows what's inside the Emperor's Tomb, thus resulting to numerous theories that came up from the minds of historians and scientists alike. Science and history played a crucial part of the discovery of the Terracotta warriors and getting to know them is an honor to experience this once-in-a-lifetime event.

Anyway, I think that's enough for that and I hope you had fun at the Pacific Science Center from opening to closing time.

More pics: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1481815308578729.1073742193.119605654799708&type=1&l=4a50185ce0

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

- Senator Antonio Trillanes IV cornered former Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service Chief Colonel Niel Anthony Estrella during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's hearing regarding the shipment of smuggled shabu from China.

- President Rodrigo Duterte revealed why former Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Judy Taguiwalo was rejected by the members of the Commission on Appointments last August 16. During a press conference, the President cited that Secretary Taguiwalo has been accused of exploiting the fund of the 4Ps, also known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, to aid the rebel group New People’s Army.

- The House of Representatives is preparing enough budget to implement House Bill 5633 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act by June 2018.

- The Illinois state became the 10th state in the United States to legalize the "automatic voter registration" alongside the District of Columbia.

- Civil rights groups kicked off a week of planned local events earlier to express support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which is now under threat by the Trump administration.

- The BMW i3 has now been improved for 2018 model year with new design, new choice of power outputs, and the sporty new i3s variant.

2018 BMW i3

2018 BMW i3s

- The Death Note madness doesn't stop from last week's Netflix movie release as it will spawn a 12-hour audio drama based on the anime series, translated in either English or German, due next year.

- A certain TV station in Nagoya ends their Sunday morning anime block after four decades.

- Game of Thrones' Kit Harington stars in the upcoming three-part drama inspired from the infamous 1605 Gunpowder Plot, titled Gunpowder, due to air on the BBC this fall.

TTFN!!!

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

- President Rodrigo Duterte headed the celebration of National Heroes Day this Monday. During the celebration at the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani, the President personally awarded the Medal of Kalasag under the Order of Lapu-Lapu to 120 soldiers and six police that were killed while fighting the Maute Terror group in Marawi City, Lanao Del Sur.

- The city of Houston, Texas, has been devastatingly flooded due to Hurricane Harvey, forcing residents of the fourth most populous U.S. city to flee in boats or hunker down in anticipation of several more days of “unprecedented” rainfall. The most powerful hurricane to hit Texas in half a century came ashore late on Friday and killed two people as of now.

- A Jakarta court has sentenced a female would-be suicide bomber to seven and a half years in prison, the first time a woman has been convicted in Indonesia for planning such an attack.

- The mother of singer-songwriter Jake Zyrus, Mrs. Raquel Pempengco, says that the story presented in last Saturday's episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya is downright false.

- A Volkswagen engineer has received a much harsher sentence for his role in the diesel scandal and has been slapped with a 40-month sentence and a US$200,000 fine for his role in the emissions scandal which has blighted the German automaker group over the past two years.

- Hanamaru Kunikida joins the DreamTech LoveLive! Sunshine!! figure lineup, starting at 14,800 Yen plus tax and delivery and arrives this January.



- Hokuto no Ken goes Ryu ga Gotoku as Hokuto ga Gotoku was teased and arriving on the PS4 this 2018.



TTFN!!!

Top Gear America - Humble Beginnings

The recent episode of BBC America's Top Gear America is all about a blast in the past.

Bill Fichtner arrives at Charlotte Motor Speedway to have a dose of NASCAR action and learn of its dirty history, until the arrival of Tom Ford and Antron Brown prompted them to recreate the first NASCAR race in history in this very place, with a slight twist involving the use of 1980's cars.

With Bill in a Buick Regal, Tom in a Pontiac Grand Prix, and Brown in a Ford Thunderbird, the boys are recreating a piece of NASCAR history with hillarious results.

Tom, meanwhile, goes Fast and Furious as he drives the legendary Nissan R32 Skyline GT-R, a JDM car you can legally import one in the United States because it passed the 25-year rule. When handed to The Stig, it set a 1:21.72 lap time.

Singer Aaron Carter is this week's celebrity guest and he set a 1:25.87 lap time round the track.

Then, a military vet who became a technician for an Audi dealership got a chance to ride with The Stig in the Audi R8 while setting a 1:09 lap time round the track.

F1 2017 - Belgian GP

As summer draws to a complete end, the best of Formula One returns to Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps for the ongoing 2017 season of the Formula One championship where the difference between victory and defeat is just one straight line away in this technical racetrack.

Following Lewis Hamilton's pole position since qualifying rounds, he managed to fend off Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari at the start of the race and kept on going all the way to his 58th career win, his fifth win of this season. Daniel Ricciardo of the Red Bull Racing team, meanwhile, placed 3rd after an intense three-wide battle between Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas for the podium finish.

Of course, being Formula 1, there are troubles occurred and the drivers who couldn't make it to the end because of mishaps are Fernando Alonso of McLaren-Honda, Red Bull's Max Verstappen, and Sauber's Wehrlein.

With Hamilton's win, the gap between him and Vettel is now seven points. 220 vs. 213. Next race is on Italy on the 3rd of September.

Spain's King Felipe VI attends solidarity rally against terrorism

King Felipe VI of Spain is one of the hundreds of thousands of people in Barcelona who became part of that weekend's solidarity rally against Islamic extremists who killed 15 people in the twin attacks that plagued Spain last week.

He was the first Spanish sovereign to join a march since the monarchy was re-established after the death of the dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.

Since the 17th of August, 2017, a group of 12 Islamic extremists have been blamed for the twin attacks in and around the Spanish city of Barcelona, killing 15 people and left hundreds hurt. The Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Eight are confirmed dead while the remaining four have appeared in a court in Madrid.

King Felipe has reigned Spain three years since his father, King Juan Carlos I, abdicated.

URL: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41063293

Super GT 2017 - Suzuka

Suzuka Circuit is the venue of the sixth round of the 2017 Autobacs Super GT and as summer draws to an end, the heat of the battle rages on for the best of the Super GT drivers.

In this scorching race before summer ends, the winner of the GT500 class is the #64 Epson Modulo NSX-GT, driven by Kosuke Matsuura and Bertrand Baguette, bringing the team its first SUPER GT victory since 2007. In the GT300 class, meanwhile, the #65 LEON CVSTOS AMG, driven by Haruki Kurosawa and Naoya Gamou, wins the race.

Race highlights:



The next race is on Thailand on the 8th of October.

MMA fighter McGregor lost to boxer Mayweather by TKO

A boxer against an MMA fighter, quite an unlikely match to see this coming but it happened as the undefeated boxing superstar, Floyd Mayweather Jr., engaged on a so-called dream match against a UFC mixed martial arts titan Conor McGregor in a controversial match in Las Vegas.

Photo: Reuters

This is the first time the MMA fighter entered the boxing scene as McGregor had high hopes that his strength will bring Mayweather down to his knees but he didn't as the tenth round blow put an end to McGregor's, forcing the MMA giant to forfeit.

By winning this match, Floyd Mayweather Jr,'s undefeated record is now up to 50 straight wins, surpassing the record set by the legendary Rocky Marciano for most wins without a loss or draw.

Following Mayweather's controversial win, the heavily fatigued McGregor is unhappy with Mayweather's performance, claiming "he's not fast" but "he's not powerful" either.

Further reading:
1) https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/26/sports/mayweather-mcgregor.html?mcubz=0
2) http://www.boxingscene.com/mcgregor-mayweather-not-fast-not-powerful--119890
3) https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/martin-rogers/2017/08/26/floyd-mayweather-conor-mcgregor-money-fight-spectacle/605887001/
4) https://www.cbssports.com/boxing/news/mayweather-vs-mcgregor-fight-results-highlights-money-wins-via-10th-round-tko/

THE IDOLM@STER MILLION LIVE! M@STER SPARKLE 01

THE IDOLM@STER MILLION LIVE!
M@STER SPARKLE 01

In addition to the MILLION THE@TER GENERATION lineup, there's also the brand new M@STER SPARKLE range in celebration of the release of the brand new THE IDOLM@STER Million Live Theater Days app game, now available to download on the App Store and Google Play. This is the first installment of the range and let's get to know more about it.

In this first installment of the all new M@STER SPARKLE range inspired from the Theater Days app game, the idol highlights of this installment are Momoko Suou (Keiko Watanabe), Yuriko Nanao (Miku Ito), Fuka Toyokawa (Rie Suegara), Tsumugi Shiraishi (Saki Minami), and Mirai Kasuga (Haruka Yamazaki), each performing a brand new song you can expect on this range as well as on the app game later on.

There are a total of eight M@STER SPARKLE installments and with the first one now out, 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. ローリング△さんかく
02. 地球儀にない国
03. 祈りの羽根
04. 瑠璃色金魚と花菖蒲
05. 未来系ドリーマー