Bubble Gang - February 2, 2018 #BGDontPanic

On the February 2, 2018 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Bomba sa bus gags

- Mute guy's definitely had a word with you

- BOOM! Another presscon with LeBrown James!

- Employment for a boyfriend

- Meet the beauticians of the morgue

- Today's Patikim ni Kim recipe is Leche Flan!

- Basa-basa-pik!

Forza Motorsport 7: The unsung speed demons

With the topic of how much improvements supercars had made over the past few decades, I went to the Top Gear Test Track to sample out the unsung heroes of the supercar realm in the 90's on Forza Motorsport 7.





It was the early 90s when I was born, Mount Pinatubo erupted in a cataclysmic matter, the Gulf War reached its climax, Bill Clinton rose to power, and most importantly, the stock market crash, Bugatti brought us the EB110 and Jaguar brought us the XJ220. Emerging from the dark days of the last decade of the 20th century, these speed demons have been overlooked by many but their speed is beyond comparison to today's supercars and frightening indeed when you take them out for a spin.





The EB110 wasn't much of a problem to drive because it is four-wheel drive but the XJ220 is frightening indeed because with no driver aids, no TCS, and no ABS, it's all up to the skill of the driver to survive the intimidating speed and dynamics this Jag delivers and between a rock and a hard place, the XJ220 really is both so you'd better watch out if you're behind the wheel of this Jag.

Anyway, now that I got my taste with the most vicious supercars of the 90s that are forgettable by some but remain quicker by modern standards, something not ever today's supercars can possess, how about a little one-lap battle between these two? This is going to be good...



Anyway, let's check out the times...

EB110 - 1:20.741
XJ220 - 1:21.588

Another day, another close-call comparison between the two cars. Sounds idiotic but seems that the Bugatti that was forged before its financial woes and takeover by VW was the poster supercar and to date, only a handful of supercars can go quicker than that. That's on the straights but on the racetrack, it's everyone's game, to be honest.

It's hard to fathom that there are some cars, despite their age, can go quicker than today's cars because as cars went softer and softer, they're not reaching the full reach that their ancestors possess and it's a pity that with supercars like these, looks like the best have done nothing to be like these cars. And that is the bottom line.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Communication lines with North Korea open

Washington's top envoy on North Korea has confirmed that all options remain on the tablein regards to solving the North Korean nuclear crisis.

The US pointman on North Korea says he believes Washington is not close to taking military action against Pyongyang. However, Kyodo news reports that Joseph Yun didn't rule out the possibility, saying all options are on the table.

The special envoy told reporters in Tokyo that the US dialogue channel with North Korea remains open and he also urged Pyongyang to directly show its intent to stop missile launches and nuclear threats.

In regard to the recent inter-Korean talks ahead of the PyeongChang Olympics, Yun welcomed the developments.

Yun is slated to meet with his Japanese counterpart Kenji Kanasugi on Tuesday in Tokyo to discuss North Korea issues.

Source: Arirang News

Let's Do The News! (February 2, 2018)

- 39 distressed Overseas Filipino Workers have safely returned home after seeking assistance from the government due to the maltreatment they were experiencing abroad. According to reports, the 39 Filipino workers took part in the government’s repatriation program after their foreign employers abused by withholding their monthly salaries and contract.

- Meanwhile, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration warned of a possible extension of the temporary ban to travel in Kuwait following the death of 12 OFWs last year. On January 22, the Department of Labor and Employment issued administrative order no. 25, directing the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to temporarily suspend the release of overseas employment certificates as officials probe the death of the 12 OFWs in Kuwait.

- PHIVOLCS warned that air quality in some areas affected by the Mayon Volcano eruption have been worsened.

- Former Iglesia Ni Cristo minister, Lowell Menorca, has seek refuge in Canada almost two years after he sought protection from alleged death threats by the influential church group in the Philippines.

- One of the California governor candidates is prioritizing reproductive rights and Planned Parenthood funding, most of which US President Donald Trump opposed to. Former state superintendent of public instruction Delaine Eastin, former Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa, California State Treasurer John Chiang, and lieutenant governor Gavin Newsom shared the stage recently in San Francisco — as part of an event by the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, Pro-choice America.

- The UK capital city London will have a new Ultra Low Emission Zone that will force over 1.6 million drivers to change cars of pay the 12 pound per day charge.

- The FIA has officially sanctioned the Electric GT Championship's Tesla-based race series with the first race of the new Electric Production Car Series scheduled to take place this year.

- Former Peugeot design director, Gerard Welter, passed away at the age of 75.

- For the 2018 season, Formula 1 will end the "long-standing practice" of grid girls.

- Sony President and CEO Kazuo Hirai steps down from his position and takes on roles as director and chairman for the electronics giant while Kenichiro Yoshida is named as his replacement.

- New Pokemon Sun and Moon toys from Takara Tomy on the radar! The Moncolle-EX range is expanded with new additions such as Kommo-o, Ho-oh, Lugia, Tapu Fini, and Poipole. They've even added a Beast Ball to the mix! All of these new additions are available in toy stores this March.

TTFN!!!

My ten favorite PAF moments

Disney's worldwide animated hit series, Phineas and Ferb, is ten years old now. Yes, we know that show ended years ago but just because the show was ended years ago doesn't mean we have to pay tribute to out all-time classic cartoon show about stepbrothers inventing things from their backyard while Perry the Platypus, or should we say Agent P, spending the rest of the day kicking Doof's butt.

This classic cartoon show has spawned 126 episodes, 5 one-hour specials, and a Disney Channel Original Movie. It has been aired in 163 countries and translated to 34 languages, making it a worldwide hit among kids and kids-at-heart.

In honor of the show's tenth anniversary, it's time for me to jot down my ten favorite PAF moments

1) You know that one episode where Phineas, Ferb, and the gang are trying to be one-hit wonders? Yep, that's the one with the song that remains an all-time favorite among PAF fans everywhere. That song that goes ♫Bow-chika-bow-wow, that's what my baby says, Mow Mow Mow, and my heart starts pumping, Chicka Chicka Coo Wah, Never Gonna Stop, Gitchee Gitchee Goo means that I Love You!♫

2) In an episode titled :Lights, Candace, Action!", when Candace was chosen to be the star of a new movie, her luck got spiraled when Phineas and Ferb ended up being the film's director. Oh, there was one part of the episode where the boys are doing some editing process and you'll see a hint of Ashley Tisdale on it. Ashley, of course, plays Candace in this show.

3) In Comet Kermilian, when Jeremy's bratty little sis Suzy thrown a nut at the back of Candace's trousers, squirrels come attracting on her back and there goes the breakdance forever remembered by many; SIMP. That's Squirrels In My Pants.

4) At the near end of the Summer Belongs To You special, with time running out and a roadblock is blocking their way home, completing their near-impossible "round the world in a day" adventure, the gang spotted some rides to get home quicker and when Candace denies getting in the trike, Phineas yelled "Get on the trike!" That's the first we saw our favorite character getting mad for a brief period.

5) In the DCOM Phineas And Ferb: Into the 2nd Dimension, to stop other-dimension Doof from taking over the Tri-State Area, Phineas and Ferb entered Agent P's secret lair and in there, all of the inventions they did in the past are here and with the gang and all of their inventions keeping the Norm-bots busy, Phineas and Agent P gets to the rooftop of the ahem ♫Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated!♫ for a showdown against other-dimension Doof. When things got bad, the real Doof appears and giving away his prized toy train to his other-dimension alter ego. With the other-dimension Doof finally calmed down and later arrested by the Resistance, things are back to normal and in the end of the film, to make sure Agent P won't be relocated to another family, the gang's memory will be erased using OWCA's top secret device. Oh, and before their memories of this epic day wiped out, Isabella kissed Phineas. There you go.

6) The episode Tip of the Day made us remember what is the tip of the shoelace, which is of course, ♫A-G-L-E-T AGLET!♫ This aglet song forever stuck in the heads of many PAF fans everywhere and thanks to this episode, everybody knows what is the tip of their shoelaces is.

7)  At the end of The Chronicles of Meap episode, they made a fake trailer gag about Meap's next mission but due to inconsistent public demand, the producers made it anyway and it's called Meapless in Seattle. In that episode, Meap summoned the gang once again as they're taking on against his archnemesis, Mitch, before gaining control of a mysterious power that will make the possessor cute enough to hypnotize the entire universe. Still, the episode learned us that even if you possess the ultimate power that will make you look cute, you will be out-cuted by Isabella's cuteness. Simple as that.

8) The Nerds of a Feather episode got Phineas and Ferb involved in a word war between fantasy and sci-fi geeks in a middle of a convention. While the two got involved in a war of fandoms, Candace attends the convention in her Ducky Momo mascot, trying to keep her childhood fandom hidden from Jeremy. One hilarious bit of this episode is the commemorative Ducky Momo plate with the words "I HATE PEOPLE". So much for Candace's childhood favorite.

9) A favorite for fans of Top Gear and The Grand Tour, the Live and Let Drive episode is the one where Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May guest starred as racing commentators while Agent P joins the race as he tries to stop Doof's plot to sabotage the race with his inators.

10) A dream come true from a certain PAF fan, the episode "Act Your Age" imagines what it will be like when Phineas, Ferb, and their pals were teenagers. In that episode, Phineas is in a middle of a hard decision if he wants to be in the same school Isabella attends or not. The climax of this episode hits the sweet spot fans have been longing for because, you guessed it, Phineas kissed Isabella. It really is worth the wait.

Happy 10th anniversary to our ever-favorite creative stepbrothers! Did you know that there will be a special Milo Murphy's Law episode where Milo and the gang meets Phineas and Ferb?! Watch for it this year!

The Grand Tour S2: Breaking, badly

In the latest episode of Amazon Prime's The Grand Tour, it's all about pushing to the max by land and by sea, obviously.

The Grand Tour S2E09

It all begins with Jeremy Clarkson revisiting the unsung supercars of the early 90's; the Bugatti EB110 Super Sport and the Jaguar XJ220. Both of these cars emerged from the last decade of the 20th century when stock prices plummeted and as of now, there only a handful of cars that are faster than these old-timers, still, no modern supercar is as fast as these. Anyway, when handed to the unnamed driver, the EB110 did it in a shocking 1:32.8 wet lap time while the Jag did it in 1:35.1.

Meanwhile, the boys are trying to break the amphibious speed record by making an amphibious car made out of an old Suzuki Jimny, a boat, and a massive jet engine. The first attempt didn't work because despite the jet engine, it's still a tad slow, so for the next attempt, they've used a Bond Bug as the basis for their new amphibious vehicle capable of beating an amphibious speed record. When arrived to the very venue for that moment, because Clarkson possesses a racing boat license, he is the only one to try it even though he doesn't want to. In the end, they broke the British's amphibious speed record with 47.81mph!

In this week's Celebrity Face Off, magicians Dynamo and Penn and Teller are battling out who is the fastest. Magic show included. Anyway, due to the snowy conditions, the track's gone white, making it a hard time to determine which is which so when the weather's improving, the lap times commenced and when done, Dynamo did it in 1:39.3 while the duo did it in 1:33.8.

Rolls-Royce Phantom RR11

Ever since the advent of the Rolls-Royce Phantom, the Goodwood-based luxury car maker had made us the perfect luxury car that can stand out the rest of the crowd with its timeless looks, unmatched luxury, and a V12 engine that packs a noble roar to this magnificent being. Now, with the advent of the all-new Phantom, Rolls-Royce is on a roll by making the premium saloon, which is a favorite for the super wealthy, even better than it was before.

2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom

2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom EWB

As a car favored by the rich and powerful, the Phantom served very well to be the magnum opus that triggered the power play for all ultra-expensive premium saloons everywhere, and now, here we are, the RR11-spec model and for the all new Phantom RR11, most of the things we love about the are still here while being festooned with new features that will keep the flagship saloon alive and well in this fractured world.

2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom interior

2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom EWB interior

Taking a peek on the outside, the classic Phantom lines are still here but on the front and the back, it has the resemblance of its lesser brothers like the Ghost and the Wraith so there's a hierarchy going on around here and this one sits at the top of the Rolls-Royce family tree. On the inside, you are greeted by its hand-made interior design and because the Phantom is handmade and bespoke, there is no definitive price list but I can tell you that their clients will spend half a million pounds for a kitted-out normal Phantom or almost a million for a dialed-up Phantom Executive Wheel Base. That's how bespoke this car is and when you dig deeper through every concession of luxury you might come across such as aircon, electronically adjusted seats, stereo, some entertainment system for the EWB, it's everything what a client wants to have in their Phantom so when they step outside, they'll have that "out on a limo" feeling they will share with the others because they spent most of the time sitting on the new Phantom's sweet spot. Of course, the interior remains one of the Phantom's sweet spots since the beginning but which seat in the back is the sweet spot?

The glorious 6.75L V12 engine has now been added with two turbochargers so that now, it produces 571PS of power and 900Nm of torque. Mated with an 8-speed AT made by the Germans, annoyingly, it does 0-60mph in around the five second mark and top speed normally limited to 155mph. Of course, you might say that its performance is very irrelevant because being Rolls-Royce, it's not meant to be driven by hooligans but it doesn't have to because while it was not meant to be as fun as an AMG Merc, it's still as smooth as sipping a cup of Darjeeling while on the trip to the House of Commons. It's a car fit not just for the Queen or the PM but also for the Tories, the Labour Party men, the UKIPs, every kind of man or woman working for the Parliament we all know about because they can feel relaxed while the paparazzi are very busy flashing their cameras onto you.

Yes, this car is as politically correct as the world we're facing now but being Rolls-Royce, the RR11 Phantom is now packed with a wide array of safety tech that will keep them safe while driving in such a fractured world we're having. Apart from the safety tech, the new Phantom is surprisingly more durable and more lighter than the previous model thanks to their Architecture of Luxury that Rolls-Royce came up with. As for dynamics, the new suspension setup really works rather well with the New Phantom, delivering the "Magic Carpet Ride" promise it deserves for the rich and powerful clients, and having said that, this is becoming the best Phantom ever made.

The new RR11 Phantom delivers that "out on the limo" feeling its clients can't get enough of because of its well-tailored looks and interior that are each of their own and because of its improved dynamics, it's starting to take shape as long as you're not taking a Sunday stroll in places that are too big to squeeze into. It may not be one of the most enjoyable new cars to drive but as an all-rounder, it's all about perfection in every single aspect and like a good celebrity, the new Phantom represents the power and fame its clients deserve and with that, it's becoming a status symbol in its own right.

Photo: Rolls-Royce