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Ateneo Blue Eagles out to extend winning streak

NOW on the upswing after opening their University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 81 campaign with a loss, the defending champions Ateneo Blue Eagles are out to continue rolling when they collide with the University of the East Red Warriors in Wednesday action at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
Winners of their last two games heading into their 2 p.m. encounter with the Warriors, the Eagles (2-1) are determined to stay in top form early in the tournament and put themselves in better position to defend their title and eventually repeat as UAAP champions.
Ateneo defeated season host National University, 72-46, in its last game on Sept. 22 that had it dominating its opponent for much of the contest and never allowing the Bulldogs to get their bite.
Thirdy Ravena led a balanced Eagles attack with 13 points followed by Anton Asistio with nine and Adrian Wong and Mike Nieto with seven points each.
Eagles coach Tab Baldwin gave credit to the team’s defensive effort for the victory and for turning things around for them after debuting in Season 81 with a loss to Adamson University.
“I thought our defense was the way we wanted it to be played. We don’t have any excuse not to play that way now… If we can get that defensive effort especially what we had in the first half [against NU] then we can be a difficult prospect for other teams,” said Mr. Baldwin after their win over NU.
Up against struggling UE (0-3), Mr. Baldwin said they are treating the match nothing less.
“Every single UAAP team that is out there to confront you giving their best game is dangerous. Until we break them down and analyze them I can’t speak anything specifically about their game but it’s our job as a basketball team to respect our opponent and I think they deserve our best. We respect them and will prepare 100% for them and go out there and do our best against them,” the Ateneo coach said.
The Warriors, now under coach Joe Silva, are off to another rough start in the UAAP, losing their first three assignments, the last one against De La Salle University, 82-72, on Sept. 23.
Veteran Alvin Pasaol is leading the Warriors with 24 points and 8.7 rebounds per game but after him no other UE player is averaging in double digits.
Coming after the Ateneo-UE clash is the match between league-leading Adamson (3-0) and University of the Philippines at 4 p.m.
Meanwhile, Justine Baltazar of La Salle (2-1) was the latest winner of the UAAP player of the week honors given by the league press corps.
Averaging 16.5 points and 13 rebounds a game in their last two matches, all wins, Baltazar is making hay as he finally gets the playing time under coach Louie Gonzalez.
In winning the award, Baltazar edged out teammate Aljun Melecio, Adamson’s Jerrick Ahanmisi, and Far Eastern University’s Prince Orizu. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

MPBL: Manila and Mandaluyong battle in San Andres

Wednesday Games:
(at San Andres Gym)
7 p.m. — Quezon City vs Pampanga
9 p.m. — Manila vs Mandaluyong
EXPECT fireworks in the offing as powerhouse teams Manila and Mandaluyong collide in the main game of the MPBL Datu Cup at the San Andres Gym.
Both teams are coming off from shocking losses to their less heralded rivals, making their 9 p.m. encounter tonight more anticipating as both squads are eager to bounce back and get back on the winning track.
Manila is currently in third place of the standings with a 7-2 card, just half a game behind Mandaluyong at 6-2.
But the game between the Robust Energy Capsule-backed Stars and the Dataland-supported El Tigre would be a battle between two title favorites.
The veteran-laden Stars composed of ex-pros Roger Yap, Riel Cervantes and Drian Celada, and young stars Aris Dionisio and Chris Bitoon among others will do everything they can to slow down Ray Parks and the rest of the El Tigre.
Parks is the second best scorer in the tournament — put up by Senator Manny Pacquiao with PBA legend and former MVP Kenneth Duremdes serving as commissioner — averaging 20.4 points per game and is also in the top 10 in assists and steals.
Quezon City and Pampanga collide in the first game at 7 p.m. The two struggling squads had taken on different paths.
Quezon City, which is being supported by Black Mamba, is playing only its seventh game as heavy rains forced the league to cancel their matches. The Capitals last played on Sept. 8 at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig where they outlasted the Valenzuela Classic-CDO Idol Cheesedog. The team carries a 2-4 slate.
The Capitals will be facing a Lanterns team owned by Congressman Dong Gonzales that has lost three in a row. What makes the situation tougher for Pampanga is the fact that it will lose its top scorer, Michael Juico, for the rest of the season due to a muscle tear on his knee. — Rey Joble

Surging Oakland into playoffs

SAN FRANCISCO — The Oakland Athletics booked their place in the playoffs for the first time since 2014 on Monday after the Tampa Bay Rays defeat to the New York Yankees ensured at least a place in next week’s wild card game.
The A’s, who were not expected to challenge for the postseason this year, were assured of their place following the Yankees’ 4-1 win over the Rays.
The California club had registered three consecutive last place finishes over the past three seasons and have the smallest payroll in baseball.
However a miraculous charge since the All-Star break has transformed the Oakland outfit’s season, with the team winning 60 of 86 games since June 15 in a remarkable turnaround. — AFP

Ringstar Boxing looking to advance Southeast Asian boxing scene

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
APART from developing its legs as a growing sports property in Asia, Ringstar Boxing also has as one of its goals highlighting the boxing scene in the region as home of champions, particularly in Southeast Asia.
In line with this thrust, Ringstar has aggressively looked after the careers of athletes under its wings, growing them to become champions and elite-level fighters.
“My vision is to have a world boxing champion in each, and every ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) country. We now have [Michael] Dasmariñas from the Philippines; and on the 29th of this month, the spotlight will be on [Muhamad] Ridhwan, who will have his world title shot, and whose mettle will be tested. By early next year, we set our sights on Malaysia, and the other ASEAN countries,” said Ringstar’s founder and CEO Scott Farrell.
Ringstar is set to parade anew some of the top fighters in the region when it stages “Roar of Singapore V — Kings of Lions City” on Sept. 29 at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
Among those slated to see action are Messrs. Dasmariñas and Ridhwan.
Signed up with Ringstar in 2017, Mr. Dasmariñas (28-2), dubbed “Gloves on Fire,” has been on a steady ascent en route to becoming the current International Boxing Organization world bantamweight champion.
He is set to face unbeaten Manyo “Black Flash” Plange (17-0) of Ghana at Roar of Singapore V after a scintillating performance from his previous fight in April where he defeated French fighter Karim Guerfi by way of knockout in 40 seconds into the fourth round of their scheduled 12-rounder to win the vacant IBO world bantamweight title.
While there is no title at stake when Messrs. Dasmariñas and Plange collide, Mr. Farrell said the fight would still be a good platform to see the caliber of Filipino champion Dasmariñas
“Dasmariñas just keeps getting better, and possesses that one punch knockout power, all his future opponents now fear. The name ‘Gloves on Fire’ has more than one meaning, and he will surely set the bantamweight division on fire with his power and determination,” Mr. Farrell said.
“The boy whose boxing gloves were burned by a relative, so that he would be dissuaded from the sport, has persisted, and has proven himself time and again, that he deserves to be in the world of boxing, in the ASEAN region and beyond,” he added.
Mr. Farrell is also high on Mr. Ridhwan (11-0) of Singapore, the current IBO Intercontinental Featherweight champion, who is battling Paulus “The Rock” Ambunda of Namibia for the much-prized IBO world super bantamweight title.
“I think Ridhwan has a complete fighting style, good boxer, relaxed yet confident with a decent punch with either hand, and is improving with every fight…I think Ridhwan is Singapore’s own version of Manny Pacquiao, and could be a huge star,” he said.
Adding, “Ridhwan has incredible boxing skill, mixed with a huge heart. He is set to take the super bantamweight division by storm. And this makes him one of the fast-rising faces in ASEAN boxing.”
The Dasmariñas-Plange fight is to be broadcast live over TV5 at 7:30 p.m.

Not so Bright yet

Having seen the University of the Philippines men’s basketball team struggle for a very long time and then gain traction in the last couple of years in moving back to respectability, I was really excited to see Nigerian big man Bright Akhuetie make his way to Diliman.
Seeing how he was dominant at the National Collegiate Athletic Association while playing for the Perpetual Help Altas, I am looking at Akhuetie as the final piece that will finally take ‘UP Naming Mahal’ over the hump and end years of playoff drought.
While I still believe in it, admittedly the Maroons are having it rough early in Season 81, sporting a 1-2 record, and partly because Akhuetie has been, well, not so Bright yet.
His numbers are not necessarily bad, going for 10.7 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and one block in the first three games, but one could not be faulted for feeling that he still has a lot more to give and needs to do more if UP is to realize its goal of returning at least to the playoffs of the UAAP.
Akhuetie had an auspicious UAAP debut against the University of the East on opening day, helping his team to an 87-58 victory.
In the next two games though, the UP big man struggled mightily, held to single digits in scoring each time and rendered “limited” in one form or another by Ateneo de Manila University and Far Eastern University.
Against the Tamaraws, Akhuetie just could not get it going, finishing with nine points, seven of which coming when everything was already settled.
He was badly outplayed by FEU counterpart Prince Orizu, who was a tower of power for the Tamaraws on both ends of the court in leading his team to an 89-73 victory.
Akhuetie said after the game that he was bothered by a hurting right hand which was numb during the game, explaining why he was missing all those seemingly easy baskets in the paint.
But still this space believes he could have done more in said game in other facets but just was not able to do them.
While he is struggling early in Season 81, the good thing about it is that there is still time for Akhuetie to make the needed adjustments to his game.
However he should bear in mind that it does not come easier from here on as the rest of the field would continue zeroing in on him, recognizing how far he goes so does UP for all intents.
That being said, he should take it upon himself to accept the challenge presented to him and for the rest of the team to backstop him to achieve what they have set out to do as a group.
Juan and Javi Gomez de Liano, Paul Desiderio and Jun Manzo have been doing their fair share but others, too, have to step up, particularly UP big men Gelo Vito, Jerson Prado, Will Gozum, and David Murrell, to ease the burden on Akhuetie.
Things may not be Bright right now for Akhuetie and the rest of the Maroons but all is not lost. They have the pieces to turn it around and it just boils down to recognizing what needs to be done and acting on it. Let’s go, Maroons!
 
Michael Angelo S. Murillo has been a columnist since 2003. He is a BusinessWorld reporter covering the Sports beat.
msmurillo@bworldonline.com

Cyborg Raptor

Of the many monikers that Kawhi Leonard has been associated with since being drafted 15th overall in 2011, “Cyborg” has stuck with him the most. It certainly best describes his utter dependability on the court; the cold-blooded precision with which he has shut down otherwise-productive stars combined with his increased efficiency on offense made him the National Basketball Association’s finest two-way star by far before a lingering right quadriceps injury sidelined him in the last 18 months.
Parenthetically, “Cyborg” likewise harks to Leonard’s stoicism off the floor. Because of his importance to the Spurs, he would invariably find himself the subject of interviews. For all his seeming availability and frequency behind the microphone, however, rare was the time when he would come up with a memorable quote. It wasn’t that he wanted to play safe; it was that his personality simply didn’t lend well to ebullience. Quite the opposite; he preferred to let his playing do the talking for him.
Yesterday, however, Leonard showed a more informal side of himself. It was, to be sure, a surprise, never mind the obvious attempt to begin his stint with the Raptors on a positive note. He said all the right things on Media Day, and, in the process of justifying the risk of acquiring him despite all the uncertainty surrounding his physical state, he actually flashed a smile and let out a laugh. That these were elicited by a query on what he would like fans to know about him serves only to underscore how much ground he managed to break as a result. He was already a decorated veteran of seven years, and yet he still had to disclose that “I’m a fun guy.”
All things considered, the Raptors don’t care if Leonard puts his awkward grin to storage anew. What they do want is for him to show all and sundry the skills that made him a Finals Most Valuable Player and two-time Defensive Player of the Year. As head coach Nick Nurse argued, they’re bent on seeing him “serious about winning.” And if he’s as healthy as he says he finally is, they won’t be disappointed.
 
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.

Flying higher than a 3-pointed star: It’s hard to top a drive in the Mercedes-Benz GLC; a paraglide flight does

Text and photos by Aries B. Espinosa

IT could have been that our lucky (three-pointed) star was shining down at us in the middle of the country’s storm season, especially since we were blessed with clear skies and gentle winds on the two days that the Auto Nation Group — distributor of Mercedes-Benz in the Philippines — held on Sept. 19-20 the “#HungryForAdventure” experiential drive featuring the Mercedes-Benz GLC 200 Exclusive and the GLC 220d 4Matic AMG.
The event itinerary included a tandem paraglide for participants over at the hills of Carmona in Cavite, overlooking the Carmona Racing Circuit, on the first day, and then the mid-morning boat ride across the big lake in Taal, the trek up the smaller Taal crater and down to the steaming inner lake on the second day.
I felt especially jittery over the paragliding part, which I would be doing for the first time. In the pre-flight prep, as I checked my pulse rate in my fitness watch (it read 110 bpm) and my palms turning clammy, my German flight instructor, who was strapped to my back, suddenly shouted “run.” And so I sprinted down that steep mountainside faster than any purse snatcher ever did before. As the paraglider caught the brisk breeze, we sailed up 300… 500… 700 feet, and I could see Mount Makiling and Laguna de Bay in the far horizon, and the forest below looked like clumps of broccoli. Giddiness soon turned to peace and calm, both in my mind and in my empty stomach.
Joseph Anthony C. Ayllon, AVP for PR and communications of the Auto Nation Group, planned this event with one key consideration in mind: What we did outside of the Mercedes-Benz GLCs should be as memorable as what we felt while driving and riding inside them.
“The three-pointed star logo of Mercedes-Benz represents the company’s drive and vision for universal motorization with engines dominating land, water and air. So, it was but natural that we also gave you the experience of conquering land [Taal trekking], water [boating to Taal] and air [paragliding],” he explained.
MERCEDES-BENZ SUVS: BUILT FOR ADVENTURE
The #HungryForAdventure ride-and-drive activity, a regional effort by Mercedes-Benz that intends to showcase the performance and class-leading features which make its SUVs the ideal road companion in any adventure, were first held in Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia in 2016 and 2017.
For this year’s Philippine edition, Mercedes-Benz’s midsize SUVs — the gasoline-powered GLC 200 Exclusive and the diesel-powered GLC 220d 4Matic AMG — were highlighted. The participants experienced not just the luxurious amenities of the vehicles, but its versatility, safety features, and multiple drive modes, as well as the spacious cabin and luggage compartment.
The adaptive suspension system was also tested when the group drove the GLCs on dirt roads in Carmona. The system automatically activates whenever the onboard computer senses uneven terrain, adjusting settings to make the ride more stable and comfortable.
During the 207-kilometer trip, our group was able to get a feel of the power and acceleration of the two variants of the GLC on the South Luzon Expressway, the winding inner roads of Cavite province, the steep ascent to the Tagaytay ridge, and the equally steep descent down to Talisay in Batangas province.
The 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine of the GLC 200 Exclusive (mated to the 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic transmission) generates up to 184 hp and 300 Nm of torque. The 2.1-liter, four-cylinder diesel power plant of the GLC 220d, also paired with the 9G-Tronic automatic transmission, churns out 170 hp and 400 Nm. The GLC 220d also sports the 4Matic permanent all-wheel drive that came in handy during the off-road dirt course. Both variants offer four driving modes via its Dynamic Select function: Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport+.
The GLC 200 Exclusive, Mercedes-Benz’s entry-level midsize SUV variant, is priced at P3.990 million, while the GLC 220d 4Matic AMG goes for P4.590 million. Going up the line, Mercedes-Benz’s sportier SUV crossovers on display during the event, the GLC 250 4Matic Coupe and the top-of-the-line GLC 43 4Matic AMG, are priced at P5.090 million and P6.890 million, respectively.
That first-time paragliding, and that first glimpse of Taal’s inner crater and its steaming interior lake experience? Priceless.

New Ranger Raptor heads Ford’s refreshed pickup lineup in PHL


THE local introduction on Sept. 21 of the first Raptor version of the Ford Ranger expands Ford Philippines’ pickup truck lineup to nine choices, eight of which are Ranger variants, and the other being the new high-performance Ranger Raptor. All the previously available versions of the pickup have been upgraded with new equipment and styling. The updated variants were introduced along with the Ranger Raptor.
Prices for the Ranger variants are set between P1.029 million and P1.695 million. The Ranger Raptor is initially offered for P1.898 million.
Both the Ranger Raptor and Ranger 2.0L Bi-Turbo Wildtrak 4×4 AT — the most expensive Ranger — are propelled by Ford’s new 2.0-liter diesel engine that has both variable geometry and fixed geometry turbochargers, allowing for an output of 210 hp and 500 Nm. The engine comes with a 10-speed automatic transmission. This transmission is also used in the Ranger Wildtrak 4×2 AT, which in turn is powered by a 2.0-liter engine that has a single turbocharger, instead of the twin turbos found on the Ranger Raptor and Ranger Bi-Turbo Wildtrak.
“ULTIMATE RANGER”
“The Ranger Raptor showcases the best of Ford Performance’s expertise in vehicle design and engineering, and we know our customers are really looking forward to enjoying its immense off-road capabilities,” said Bertrand Lessard, managing director at Ford Philippines.
Previewed by Ford in Bangkok, Thailand, on Feb. 7, the Ranger Raptor is the smaller version of the off-road racing-inspired Ford F-150 Raptor, and is meant to be sold mainly in certain Asia-Pacific markets. The Ranger Raptor has a beefed-up chassis with stouter suspension pieces that allow for more wheel travel and a wider track — improving the truck’s high-velocity capability off-road. Residing at the frame’s rear is a new coil-over set and a Watt’s link to better manage the lateral movements of a solid rear axle. Up in front, the shock absorber towers have been bolstered.
Raising the chassis’s performance further are Position Sensitive Damping shock absorbers made by Fox Racing, which Ford said are tuned for control and comfort over pavement or rough terrain. Holding the shocks in place are aluminum upper and lower arms.
Supporting the Ranger Raptor’s suspension bits are 17-inch wheels wrapped with all-terrain BF Goodrich 285/70 tires that were specifically developed for the truck. Braking has been improved by larger twin-piston calipers and ventilated rotors all around.
The Ranger Raptor is equipped with a full range of electronic driver-assist systems, traction and stability governors, and convenience features. These include the Terrain Management System that integrates Baja mode, basically a desert rally racing setting in which systems like traction control do not intervene as much. The mode also holds gears longer and would downshift more aggressively.
Identifying the Ranger Raptor from the rest of Ranger lineup are its wider fenders, composite wheel arches, a more imposing grille and bumpers, and off-road-specific side step boards, among other items.
“The Ranger Raptor is truly the ultimate Ranger, said Rodel Gallega, marketing and sales vice-president at Ford Philippines.
REFRESHED RANGERS
Depending on equipment level, the Ranger can come fitted with autonomous emergency braking that detects pedestrians and vehicles, active park assist that can steer the vehicle into a parking spot, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, tailgate lift assist, smart entry with push-button ignition and Sync3 — Ford’s multimedia connectivity system that links with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The truck’s exterior styling has been updated via a new grille, reshaped bumpers, LED daytime running lights and HID headlights (for the Wildtrak variants), a hoop sports bar, and roof and bed rails.
Ford said it also revised the Ranger’s suspension in order to reduce and better control the truck’s body roll and make it steer more precisely. But the changes, according to Ford, do not affect the truck’s towing and payload ratings.
Both the Ranger Raptor and the updated Ranger variants are now available at Ford dealerships. The Ranger Raptor is offered in five colors while the Ranger comes in eight. — Brian M. Afuang

Mitsubishi hypes 40 years of making one-ton trucks


AS Mitsubishi Motors prepares to launch a heavily refreshed pickup truck model later this year, the company is hyping its four decades of experience in building such vehicles. It cited in particular the introduction in 1978 of its L200 one-ton pickup (called Forte in some markets), a model the company said has served millions of people over the next four decades.
Designed to carry a load of up to one ton, the L200, from the beginning, was pitched to have combined the ease with which a car can be driven with the rugged, useful features for which pickups are known. Two years after launch, Mitsubishi fitted the L200 with a four-wheel drive train, in the process laying the foundation for the succeeding Pajero/Montero SUV and the Delica vans.
The second generation of the L200, launched in 1986, and which eventually came to be called Triton and Strada in certain markets, continued on the success of the original. For the first time the truck came in single cab, club cab (a small space behind the seats were added) and double cab (it came with a backseat and rear doors), as well as in gasoline and diesel engines. The third-generation model, built between 1995 and 2005, followed on the formula of the previous truck, although getting an advanced four-wheel drive system whose 4WD mode can be engaged more easily.
According to Mitsubishi, such was the success of the first two model generations of the L200 that by the time the third was launched, in 1995, the company shifted the pickup’s production from its plant in Ohe, Japan, to Laem Chabang in Thailand. This plant, now Mitsubishi Motors’ biggest factory with an annual capacity of around 400,000 vehicles, is from where the L200 (or Triton or Strada) is exported worldwide.
In August 2005 Mitsubishi brought out the fourth-generation L200, then more commonly known either as the Triton or Strada. It came in the same body configurations, but had new 2.5-liter and 3.2-liter common-rail diesel engines, as well as the updated Super Select 4WD system. Like its predecessor the model was sold for nearly 10 years, getting replaced in November 2014 by the fifth-generation model, which saw the introduction of new 2.4-liter MIVEC turbocharged “clean” diesel, 2.5-liter turbocharged diesel, and 2.4-liter gasoline engines, as well as new six-speed manual and five-speed automatic transmissions. The four-wheel drive mode selector, now called Super Select 4WD-II, adopted an electronic actuator.
It is expected that most of these features will make it to the upcoming model with varying degrees of improvements; for example, a new eight-speed transmission is a possible upgrade, given that this gearbox is now available in Mitsubishi SUVs. What is more certain is that the new pickup will subscribe to the brand’s present design language that’s marked by aggressive, angular lines that mimic the look of the Montero Sport. In any case, the wait for the updated model will soon be over.

Time to pick up a pickup (or maybe not)

When I saw the Ford Ranger Raptor in the metal for the first time back in February (in Thailand), one of my first thoughts was that its pricing would easily breach the P2-million mark. I was wrong, of course. At the super truck’s official Philippine launch last weekend, Ford announced the Raptor’s irresistible price tag: P1,898,000. Predictably, the amount sent pickup enthusiasts (even non-enthusiasts, actually) cheering and salivating.
Too good to be true? If you weren’t paying attention to news reports at the start of the year providing details on the freshly minted Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN), then you should know that all pickup trucks in our market are now 100% exempt from excise tax. Which means pickups are now relatively more affordable compared to other vehicle types.
Immediately after the approval of the TRAIN law, prices of pickup models in the country started going down. From Chevrolet and Isuzu to Mitsubishi and Toyota, automakers with pickup offerings shaved anywhere from P100,000 to P200,000 off their workhorses’ pricing. If you seem to be noticing more brand-new pickups on the road these days, it’s because more car buyers are starting to appreciate their unbeatable value proposition in light of their tax exemption.
The pickup was extended a full tax break on the premise that it is technically an instrument of commercial activity — that it is primarily used for work and enterprise. But for the last decade or so, pickup trucks in our market have been positioned as lifestyle vehicles. Where pickups used to be treated as commercial (read: utility) movers, they are now regarded as cars for people who lead dynamic lives and keep busy schedules. It is no longer uncommon to see a pickup truck pulling up in a hotel driveway to disgorge passengers in crisp suits.
And the standard features found on pickups are only going to get better as the segment becomes more competitive. With the arrival of the Raptor, rival brands will throw everything into their trucks just to compete. Just a few days before the Raptor launch, Chevrolet Philippines had communicated the local availability of the Colorado’s sporty High Country Storm variant. At the season-ending Vios Cup race last weekend at Clark International Speedway, Toyota showed off handsome TRD after-market accessories for the Hilux. I have no doubt that all car companies that sell pickups will now try to out-spec each other in order to entice buyers — particularly in this time of a lingering sales slump.
Obviously, pickups aren’t for everyone. I know many people who will never ditch their sedan or SUV for a three-box, leaf-sprung vehicle. But thanks to more attractive pricing and better packaging, more and more car owners are beginning to consider getting one. That’s a heck of an improvement in terms of consumer behavior.
The only drawback I see in this development is that pickup models in our market are powered by diesel engines. While diesel is cheaper and generally more fuel-efficient than gasoline, it is also very harmful to humans. The World Health Organization has even classified it as a carcinogen. In fact, Toyota, Volvo and just very recently Porsche have all made known their intent to discontinue selling diesel cars in Europe (in the case of Toyota) or anywhere in the world (Porsche).
Tough luck, then: The one vehicle type that currently offers the most value is also the same vehicle type that might expedite our appointment with the undertaker. Pick your poison.

From ticketing to salaries, football explores power of blockchain

By Agence France-Presse
FOOTBALL clubs are starting to tap the potential of blockchain technology as an innovative way to deal with longstanding issues such as ticket scalping, fan engagement and the payment of players’ salaries.
Considered by many as revolutionary as the internet, a blockchain is a database that is shared across a network of hundreds of computers. Once a record has been added to the chain it is very difficult to tamper with. And to ensure all copies of the database are the same, the network makes constant checks.
Blockchains have been used most prominently as the tool behind cryptocurrency Bitcoin, but many other possible uses from medical records to banking — and now sports — are emerging.
“Blockchain has the power to be the underlying infrastructure upon which sport functions,” Michael Broughton of Sports Investment Partners told AFP as the two-day World Football Summit got underway in Madrid.
“Much as mobile phones and apps are today a broader expression of the underlying internet so sport can build upon blockchain.”
After French champions Paris Saint-Germain announced earlier this month that they were launching their own cryptocurrency in partnership with Socios.com, a blockchain company based in Malta, Italian giants Juventus announced Monday they would do the same.
Fans of the two clubs will be able to buy club-branded tokens that come with voting rights as well as access to exclusive content and rewards.
‘LIMITLES POTENTIAL’
English side Arsenal announced in January they had reached an agreement with California-based Cashbet to launch their own cryptocurrency which would be used to bet on matches.
The technology could also have significant implications for ticket sales.
European football governing body UEFA used blockchain technology to sell all of the tickets for the Super Cup final in Tallinn in August between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid over mobile phones, preventing the duplication of tickets.
In a sign of the growing interest of the football world in blockchain, Barcelona’s Argentine star Lionel Messi in December became a brand ambassador for Israeli start-up Sirin Labs which has developed an ultra-secure mobile phone that uses the technology.
Former Liverpool and England striker Michael Owen earlier this year invested in Hong Kong-based Global Crypto Offering Exchange (GCOX), a global platform that allows celebrities to create and list their own “tokens”.
“I believe blockchain technology holds the future. It has limitless potential that we have yet to fully explore,” Owen said at the time.
‘BRING TRANSPARENCY’
The technology is even starting — albeit on a very small scale — to be used to pay players, which some believe could help stamp out corruption in football.
Gibraltar United announced in July that it would become the world’s first football club to pay its players in cryptocurrency while tiny Turkish club Harunustaspor made global headlines at the start of the year by announcing it had carried out the world’s first football transfer of a player in bitcoins.
“It could bring transparency to world of football,” said Pablo Dana of Heritage Sports Holding which owns Gibraltar United and in August bought 25 percent of Italian third division side Rimini using a digital currency.
Broughton agreed, saying “having a player’s identify and registration on the blockchain could provide greater transparency to the transfer and ownership systems”.
The technology could also be used together with big data analytics, to identify future football stars, according to Olivier Jarosz, head of club affairs at the Switzerland-based European Club Association.
“You can through the data base try to find out the biggest potentials without sending 200 scouts,” he said.
But Sam Jones of the London Football Exchange warned that “you can’t insure yourself” against some of the new cryptpocurrencies that use blockchain.
“You relying on hope and hope is the key ingredient of a bubble,” he said.

Instagram Co-Founders Are Said to Step Down From Company: NYT

By Bloomberg
INSTAGRAM co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger have resigned and will leave the company in coming weeks, according to the New York Times.
Chief Executive Officer Systrom and Chief Technical Officer Krieger notified Instagram’s leadership team and parent company Facebook Inc. on Monday of their decision to leave, NYT reported, citing unidentified people with direct knowledge of the matter. They didn’t give a reason for their departure.
A spokeswoman for Facebook didn’t immediately have a comment, the paper said.

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