CHALLENGE: One Siling Labuyo in Cabanatuan

Now, while in the Philippines, me and my family are going on a trip to one of the houses our grandparents reside for temporary reasons and it's somewhere in Cabanatuan. Yeah, we were going there but unfortunately, weather reports indicating that there was a more powerful storm approaching under the name of "Labuyo". It sounds spicy for a storm like this but like the bravest of men, we decided to go on anyway, despite the weather warnings.

This is the car in question, it's a made-in-Indonesia Suzuki APV, a multipurpose utility vehicle made for those who can't afford a used Starex. This isn't used. This is a "rental car". Our friend Senior rented it for over four thousand pesos and the APV we rented for our trip was the entry level model. When I said entry level model, it's noted by less features, black bumper, odd-looking wheels, and a relatively cheap pricing what customers bought these days. Under the bonnet? A 1590cc petrol engine. That's it.

Anyway, enough chit chat about the car. What we're gonna do now is we're going on a trip to Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija despite the weather warnings due to Labuyo so um...we got the stuff we need so we'd better get going!

But first...

We had to stop by at our nearest Mightee Mart to buy some stuff for our trip. What Mommy bought here were two bottles of C2 Green Tea and this...

You'd never know when dengue strikes, even inside the car. He he he... Anyway, back to Destination: Cabanatuan.

As I can see, I was sitting at the third row so my experience with the Suzuki APV were terrible. It feels uncomfortable, I can hear some squeaking noise at the back, and it's a total nightmare for those riding in the APV. My gosh...

An abandoned factory...

Starmall Alabang (formerly Metropolis)

On the motorways, I am already experiencing a total nightmare about how uncomfortable the APV was and if reliability was an issue, you'd be right because if it breaks down, you would be scared to death. Ha ha ha...

As we travel though the motorways, I can observe some wondrous sights and sounds around the Metro Manila, including that Edsa Shrine over there.

Meanwhile in Quezon...

And then...

We stop by to say hi to Lola Neddie...

Look at our Baby Irvine, enjoying with the kids...

Whoa! Look at them! Playing with toy cars!

Yummy! Some meals!

As we leave Lola Neddie's house, the rain starts...

And then...this.

Yes, we're approaching the danger zone. Typhoon Labuyo's attacking us with heavy rainfall but that doesn't stop us from travelling.

As we're braving through the rough rains,  we went to Bulacan to say hi to Tata Epoy.

After that friendly chit chat and some nice meal with Tata Epoy and family, we continue heading to our destination and while we're still at it, it seems that Labuyo's wrath hampering our progress and when it's nighttime, things are getting scary. Really scary.

I know that it's much scary to drive at night with an oncoming typhoon approaching but can we survive through the storm and make it our way to Cabanatuan?

To be continued...

Top Gear USA Season 4 announcement

Love it or hate it, the US version of Top Gear are returning for the fourth season this fall and this time, it promises to be more offbeat and a bit more "regular" than ever. Well, when I said "regular", it's just same old...same old for Adam Ferrera, Tanner Foust, and Rutledge Wood.

There will be a race from New York to Los Angeles with supercars, make their own amphibious cars, travel through the Mississippi in America's biggest cars, going to Alaska with their DIY convertibles, and just same old same old for the boys.

TGUSA returns this September 3 at 9PM ET/PT on History, in time for the Fall TV season.

Scoop: http://transmission.blogs.topgear.com/2013/08/12/americans-top-gear-usa-is-back-2/

How Cute Is Your Character? - BMO

10 cute characters brought in by me will face my CUTENESS TESTS; getting kissed, getting hugged, and against Isabella's cuteness in a bid to top my CUTENESS RANKER leaderboard.

Today's cute character is...

BMO

Is it BMO from Adventure Time, which is more than just Finn and Jake's roommate but also their friend, a camera, a TV, an electrical outlet, and most of all, a video game system?

Well, that is pretty cute...but HOW CUTE IS BMO?

The first test is...getting kissed. What would BMO react when being kissed by fans? The answer...BMO LIKES! BMO likes getting kissed in the face. No wait, LOVES getting kissed in the face because BMO's oh so cuddly. Just look at BMO's reaction...

This gives BMO a kissable rating of: 10 out of 10!

The second test is...getting hugged. This would be very easy for BMO because...who cares about it? BMO's cute enough to be hugged. There aren't any official BMO plushies of today, even the San Diego Comic Con 2013 exclusive merchandise doesn't count so...any particular reason why there's no such thing? I mean come on out here, BMO's super cute! BMO wants to be cuddled and...sheesh. I can't believe there are fans making their own BMO plushies for the benefit of themselves. Whatever, with BMO's cute enough to be hugged by millions, this gives BMO a huggable rating of: 10 out of 10.

The final test is...against Isabella. Isabella says "Whatcha Doin?"...like this. What would BMO do? After 10 seconds, it seems that BMO's disintegrating by Isabella's cuteness! The internal hard drive's getting blown away like fireworks, the motherboard's getting roasted, the batteries are getting weaker, the screen's getting all static until..."BATTERY LOW! SHUTDOWN..." After moments of getting disintegrated by Isabella's cuteness, BMO won't turned on...for good! This gives BMO a pathetic Isabella-resistance rating of: 2 out of 10.

BMO from Adventure Time scored a grand total of 22 out of 30, giving BMO a first place lead.

CUTENESS RANKER:

1) BMO - 22/30

2) Mog - 19/30

3) Adipose - 16/30

How cute do I rank it? VERY VERY CUTE! HOW CUTE IS YOUR CHARACTER?

Ssangyong New Korando C

With the arrival of the Chevrolet Trax crossover, and with the facelifts of the Kia Sportage R and Hyundai Tucson ix, it seems that the Ssangyong Korando C's getting through the times as the Mahindra-owned Korean car company introduces its minor change version of the crossover that pushed Ssangyong back again and keep on fighting.

2014 Ssangyong Korando C

So, ready for some 47 second science? Let's begin. New for the 2014 model year, the Korando C gained a brand new front view in which the head lamps look somewhat identical to the Korando Turismo (Rodius/Stavic) MPV. Well, nearly similar. Also, Ssangyong managed to revise the rear view and then, 18-inch alloy wheels are revamped to give the new facelift some taste in today's crossover trends. That sounds fine but I'm not quite happy about it, yet.

2014 Ssangyong Korando C interior

2014 Ssangyong Korando C interior

Also, the interior's now revised and what you can expect here is a new wooden trim, soft material at the top of the dashboard and depending on the grade, red leather seats. What's more is that the 2014 Korando C is overloaded with tech features made for the tech geeks such as a new multimedia system with a 7-inch touch screen, navigation system, Infinity audio system, keyless entry, and tire pressure monitoring system. Quite a crafty here for the new model though...

2014 Ssangyong Korando C

Of course, you can still expect a diesel-powered e-XDi200 LET engine on it, which develops about 155PS of power and 36.7kg-m of torque but what Ssangyong said that the new model is now more fuel-efficient than ever when set to its ECO MODE function, making it 12.8km/L of fuel economy for the FF model with the 6-speed automatic. With 6-speed MT standard, that makes it 17.2km/L of fuel economy.

For its pricing, the 2014 Korando C starts at 20,710,000 Korean Won for the CVS model with a manual gearbox up to 28,720,000 Korean Won for the top of the line CVX model with a 6-speed auto gearbox.

Scientific ideal is that while the 2014 Korando C adopts the slogan "Urban Adventure", it's made even more economical and more techie than ever but still, this is a crossover and it only behaves as a soft-roader like the others.

Available colors: Grand White, Pearl White Lily, Silent Silver, Sunrise Red, Cosmic Blue, Carbonic Grey, and Space Black.

Photo: Ssangyong Motor Company

What's in our Car Town garage today? (August 11, 2013)

What's in our Car Town garage today?

2009 Fiat 500 Abarth

The Fiat 500 is a cute little city car that stays true to its "cheap and cheerful" personality and for the high-performance Abarth model, all's that change when this Italian little pocket rocket wants to play cat and mouse with the competition. With the turbocharged 1.4L engine, 5-speed manual, and the Abarth heritage flowing down its veins, the 500 Abarth tries to be a wild compact at any places!

2009 Fiat 500 Abarth

2009 Jaguar XF

The replacement of the Jaguar S-Type executive midsize sedan is the XF, and for this model, the British carmaker tries to settle the scores against the Germans, especially the likes of the 5-Series and E-Class. Designed in Whitley, made in Birmingham, and with the range of V6 and V8 engines, the XF from Jaguar tries to be a well-mannered executive sport saloon while staying true to being a British-built car.

2009 Jaguar XF

2004 Ford Bronco Concept

At the 2004 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, Ford presented what is supposed to be a future revival of the Bronco SUV. Although boxy in design, the Bronco Concept tries to stay true to its roots from its predecessor as a basic utility vehicle, featuring a three-door layout and manual windows.

2004 Ford Bronco Concept

Cars GT6 Should Put (Volume 4)

Everyone knows that more and more car gamers everywhere are willing to prefer the upcoming Gran Turismo 6, coming this winter exclusively on the Playstation3 console, than the upcoming Forza Motorsport 5, coming this autumn exclusively on the new XBOX One console. However, despite the 1200-car lineup, there are some cars GT6 should put...

Cars like...

1) Ferrari LaFerrari '13

WHY: It's so stupid for Ferrari to call this limited edition hypercar "LaFerrari" because what would they think of when they show off their...FERRARI LAFERRARI? It's like repeating the name over and over but anyway, despite the stupid naming, the LaFerrari is probably the most powerful Ferrari ever made, superseding the F12berlinetta because with the same V12 as seen on the F12 plus a clever KERS system as seen on Formula One cars, over nine hundred horsepower are developed, making this ultra-rare Ferrari a force to be reckoned with. I'd expect this to be better than the rumored P4/5 if I'm honest.

2) Toyota TS030 Hybrid '12

WHY: Not sure about this hybrid-engine wielding LMP but I'm sure a lot of people are begging to have Toyota's hybrid-powered LMP to be on that game. While it may not be a proper Le Mans fighter but in a middle of 6 HOUR races such as Sao Paulo, Shanghai, and Fuji, the TS030 stands out. Do we really want to see the TS030 on GT6? Let's hope...

3) Ford Fiesta ST '13

WHY: Gran Turismo needs a Ford Fiesta right now and I think this latest incarnation of the hot Ford Fiesta ST should do the trick. It may have the same 1.6L engine as the rivals from France have one but it's less powerful. Despite less powerful, the Fiesta ST's handling were superb. I just want GT6 to feature this fun little Fiesta because when the 208 GTi, new Renaultsport Clio, and this showed up, I want to recreate the Top Gear episode with those.

4) Caterham R500 '08

WHY: For me, I don't think I'm going to like the KTM X-BOW because for me, the Caterham R500 is the ideal track-day car ever made with its weapons-grade material and the fact that it has a stronger power-to-weight ratio than the Bugatti Veyron. In 2008, it was Top Gear's Car of the Year.

5) Lamborghini Sesto Elemento '10

WHY: Sesto Elemento is Italian for Sixth Element and if you look at the periodic table, it's carbon. It's a carbon wrapped Lambo track car based on the Gallardo that looks insane in design and driving. I just want the Sesto Elemento to be in GT6 because this is probably one of the most insane Lamborghinis to drive and I want one.

The results please? So, if Polyphony's still on the rethinking process whether these cars I've mentioned will be featured on Gran Turismo 6, whether in game or as a DLC, you can't say that I didn't had a bit to do with that.

Take that to Kaz Yamauchi!

Threats from North Korea - A Week in Review (August 10, 2013)

And now, the week in review of what's what at the Korean peninsula...

August 5, 2013

- President Park Geun-hye carried out a wide-ranging reshuffle of her senior secretaries after returning from a five-day vacation.

August 6, 2013

- President Park Geun-hye, who replaced half of her unsatisfactory senior secretaries, showed her strong will to start anew.

August 7, 2013

- Two Koreas will return to the negotiating table next Wednesday in Kaesong for another shot at reopening their joint-run factory zone in the North

August 8, 2013

- The Korean government is set to charge higher electricity rates to conserve energy.

August 9, 2013

- Temperatures in South Korea climbed above 33 degrees Celsius nationwide, and humidity levels also rose to record levels.

- There's renewed hope on the horizon for the shuttered Kaesong complex, following Pyongyang's confirmation that it would hold talks with Seoul on getting the place up-and-running again.

"Masarap...Kahit Walang Palaman!"

On the August 9, 2013 episode of Bubble Gang

- Court gags

- Bubble Gang Telebabaw presents...BUKAS MAY PAGASA PA.

- The Adventures of Ruffa Mae Kwento in...SUNOG!

- More Aling Mary arrogance to the masses!

BREAK

- Kidnap for ransom...on a teddy bear?!

- Bubble Gang does Gardenia by spoofing this commercial as GARDEN N'YO! Masarap...kahit walang palaman!

Bubble Gang does Gardenia!

- There are 101 uses for a "laway"! Gross but try it out...

- Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It's SO POOR MAN!

- IyoTube in PSY'S GENTLEMAN

- Highlights of Bagong Gang...On this highlight, two teams are being tied up on the sketch with actor Paolo Contis on the tow. Now, it's the eliminations and it's time to Bubble Gang to say goodbye to...Roehl Mendoza and Maricris Garcia. WE REPEAT, Bubble Gang announced that both Roehl Mendoza and Maricris Garcia were eliminated and can't advance on the the next challenge on the Bagong Gang. Stay tuned for more as the remaining eight take on more funnier sketches.

What's in our Car Town garage today? (August 6, 2013)

What's in our Car Town garage today?

1967 Honda S800

Served as the replacement to the S600, the S800 from Honda was built to compete with the likes of the Austin Sprite, MG Midget, Triumph Spitfire, and the Fiat 850 Spider. While it's available in either a coupe or roadster configurations, it was equipped with a 0.8L engine which produces 70HP and classified as the first Honda to reach 100mph of top speed, with a fuel economy of 35MPG.

1967 Honda S800

1971 Plymouth Roadrunner

Renewed for the 1971 model year, the Roadrunner muscle car was changed to be more "fuselage" while staying true to the Chrysler design philosophy of the 70's. While the '71 model had its length dropped, the wheelbase was increased to 115 inches and a rear sway bar was used in conjunction with staggered rear leaf springs. Also added were the 340-4bbl feature and the detuned version of the 383 Road Runner engine which develops 300HP of power.

1971 Plymouth Roadrunner

1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible

In the good old days, car lovers love to cruise around in open top convertibles all the way to Route 66. For this convertible version of the C2 Corvette Stingray, that is no exception to the rule. It maybe identical to its hardtop equivalent but with the roof open, it's all about the cruising on the open roads for you, even if it comes with the 427 V8 engine that powers the Stingray.

1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible

OUTTAKES: Subway x Gravity Falls Collaboration

MEOW WOW!

OUTTAKE:

Hello fellas. What you're looking up here is one of the six limited edition Subway x Disney's Gravity Falls collaboration reusable bags available throughout this month for every Subway Kid's Meal and I wasn't expected to see such a thing like this existed and hey, I love Gravity Falls. (snickering)

Like I said, for every purchase of Subway Kids' Meal, you'll get a free Gravity Falls bag. There are six of them to collect for a limited time only while supplies last.

Anyway...why did I got Mabel's?

OUTTAKE END.

Let's Do The News! (August 6, 2013)

River's Diary

River's Diary, I'm bored, can you tell me something what's going on around here?

- The movie adaptation of the famed iDOLM@STER franchise will hit theaters in Japan early 2014.

- You may remember that the Philippine government bought themselves a new warship called the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16). Question is...WHAT ARE ITS CAPABILITIES? Find out here.

- There's going to be a more affordable Caterham coming soon and this time, it's going to be powered by Suzuki's 660cc turbo engine.

- Subaru teased an STi-tuned version of the BRZ sports coupe. More info coming soon.

- Speedo boys who owned a Honda in New Jersey should know that there's going to be a HONDA DAY this August 10 to 11 at the RACEWAY PARK (30 PENSION ROAD, ENGLISHTOWN, NJ 07726). It's all competition meets culture for speedo boys and Honda lovers in the Jersey Shore.

- In an episode of GMA's My Husband's Lover, Zandro (Keempee de Leon) got a brutal beating from his uncle Gen. Armando Soriano (Roi Vinzon) because of his being gay.

Beaten Zandro

- Adding misery to my iDOLM@STER fandom, Bandai Namco's Lalabit Market will feature the store's exclusive Makoto Kikuchi  -Angelic Island- "Devilkin Swimsuit" version figure, on sale exclusively at Lalabit Market next year. If that "Devilkin Swimsuit" looks familiar, it's because it's as seen on the PS3-only iDOLM@STER G4U Volume 6. This isn't the first time though because Miki Hoshii once gave the Lalabit Market-exclusive treatment before.

- It's official. Ogie Alcasid will bid farewell to GMA7 as he's going to sign contracts with TV5 at Aracama Restaurant at Bonifacio Global City on Tuesday afternoon. Ogie Alcasid's official twitter posted a tweet about his new milestone as a Kapatid;

"My friends, I humbly ask you for a prayer as is sign with tv5 this afternoon. Kayo naman lagi ang nariyan and once again I ask 4 yr support"

Aside from being a full-fledged Kapatid, he will also head the network's new music department.

TTFN!

Toyota Corolla Axio Hybrid and Corolla Fielder Hybrid

2014 Toyota Corolla Axio Hybrid

2014 Toyota Corolla Fielder Hybrid

I wasn't expecting to see that but the 11th Generation Toyota Corolla, launched last year, has now spawned a hybrid model and what's all the fuss about? It seems that the Corolla tradition has taken to a whole new spin by offering fuel-efficient Hybrid versions of the Corolla Axio sedan and the Corolla Fielder wagon in a country where fuel consumption is the norm.

Whatever but what's the difference? Toyota says that both the hybrid Corollas gained an exclusive front grille, front and rear Synergy Blue emblems, an exclusive Light Blue Metallic body color, and other distinctive elements. On the interior, you can expect blue-highlighted instrument gauges which seems to look as futuristic as...ahem you know what that creepy song is. Plus, they also come with special seat fabric and an exclusive interior panel design, artificial-leather ornamented instrument panel and upper door trim, and a shift stick knob with blue-accented leather cover.

2014 Toyota Corolla Axio Hybrid interior

2014 Toyota Corolla Fielder Hybrid interior

While the hybrid models are heavier than the normal petrol models because of the added nickel metal battery needed to generate electric power, Toyota gave those hybrid Corollas some tweaked suspension settings to handle the added weight but I'm not quite sure if these added settings worked out brilliantly but (ahem), they're still a bit tad old fashioned.

What you may noticed that both of them comes with the 1.5L petrol engine as seen on the Toyota Aqua compact and with THS-II, mated with CVT gearbox, I was expecting that the fuel economy, as calculated by JC08 Mode standards, is 33.0km/L. It was. 33.0km/L of fuel consumption means that's more than what you get than the Toyota Prius!

Say what? The Corolla Hybrids are fuel efficient than the normal Prius?! Of course, while the Prius' fuel economy is 32.6km/L, the Corolla Hybrids are 0.4km/L more! Also, it's cheaper to buy than the Prius because of the intro pricing for just 1,925,000 Yen for the Axio Hybrid and 2,085,000 Yen for the Fielder Hybrid. That means that the Prius is the least we're worrying about. It's those that we're worrying about...almost because the only thing more worrying than the Prius is its little brother, the Aqua because think about it, it's cheaper than the Prius, more fuel efficient than a Prius, and more of a hassle than the Prius.

While Toyota says that they're expecting a monthly sales target of 1000 units for the Axio Hybrid and 1500 for the Fielder Hybrid but like most JDM hybrids, I'm expecting these to exceed the sales target because hey. This is Japan and Hybrids and ECO is the JDM norm of today, which is annoying all the time.

Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation