Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Let's Do The News! (March 23, 2016)


- Following the deadly bombings in Brussels, Belgium, the Islamic State militants threatens to attack other countries taking part in the anti-IS coalition. The terrorist organization issued an updated communique taking credit for the Brussels attacks and was published in Arabic and French. The militants also released photos showing its fighters in Syria giving out candy to children to celebrate the Brussels attacks, according to intel.

- Although there is no Filipino casualty in the Brussels attacks, the Philippine Embassy advised Filipinos in Belgium to avoid crowded areas and to be extra careful after attacks in the Belgian capital. Philippine Ambassador Victoria Bataclan told Filipinos to avoid crowded areas that could be targets of terror attacks after 34 people reportedly killed in the explosions.

- The Commission of Elections yesterday asked the high court to reconsider the decision and affirm Senator Grace Poe's disqualification for material misrepresentation in her residency and citizenship eligibilities. The COMELEC also asked the justices to again deliberate on the case and conduct another round of voting, arguing that there was no majority vote finding Poe as a natural-born Filipino qualified to be president.

- The Anti Money Laundering Council head on Tuesday expressed its support to the absolute lifting of the bank secrecy law prior to the 81 million dollar bank heist. Although hopeful for the absolute lifitng of bank secrecy law, AMLC Executive Director Julia Bacay Abad admitted that the will face an uphill battle to accomplish this.

- Allies of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo are welcome to help the ruling Liberal Party and its coalition partners. The Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid candidates led by presidential aspirant Mar Roxas held sorties on Tuesday in Pampanga province - a known balliwick of Arroyo - to lure voters before the Holy Week break.

- North Korea threatened a "misearable end" for South Korean president Park Geun-hye and her American allies in its series of provocations. Pyongyang declard it would wage a battle against the South Korean president with its artillery units standing ready to turn her office into a "sea of flames and ashes". This provocation comes as the US and SoKor stage their annual Key Resolve and Foal Eagle military exercies, which is the largest this year in the wake of a recent North Korean nuclear test and long-range rocket launch. Seoul urged the North to stop "base and vulgar" threats and warned of a "relentless retaliation" against any further provocations.

- Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter revealed that South Korea and the United States have agreed to deploy the anti-ballistic missile interceptor called the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) to the Korean Peninsula. Speaking at a House Armed Services Committee hearing, Carter said the system would protect South Korea and the US troop presence here against North Korea's missile threats. Carter added that Washington has started to boost its capabilities in light of North Korea possibly having the capacity to range the US with an ICBM.

- The recent Arizona primaries scored a huge win for Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton over who could best deal with Islamic extremism amid the recent Belgian attacks. In the Republican side, Trump now has 739 delegates, Cruz has 425 and Kasich has 143. In the Democratic side, meanwhile, Clinton now has 1,203 elegates to Sanders’ 860, based on primaries and caucuses. It takes 2,383 delegates to win the nomination.

- Turkish authorities reportedly detained at least 13 people, including those with alleged links to the Islamic State militants. Three people, including a Syrian and Iraqi, alleged to have planned attacks on targets including a German consulate general and a school. Ten people, meanwhile, tried to illegally enter Turkey from Syria. One is said to have been in possession of an explosive device for a suicide attack.

- Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend next week's Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, and is expected too meet US President Barack Obama on the sidelines. Xi will make a 5-day trip to the Czech Republic and the United States from the 28th of March and he will attend the summit at the end of March. The summit is expected to discuss measures aimed at preventing nuclear materials to fall under terrorists' hands as well as North Korea's nuclear development and China's military activities in the South China Sea.

- Manny Pacquiao kicked off his second week of training in preparation for his final fight against Tim Bradley next month.



- The first-ever retractable fastback version of the fourth-generation Mazda Roadster has unveiled prior to its New York Auto Show debut this week.



- The all-new fifth-generation Subaru Impreza, in saloon form, is officially unveiled prior to its New York Auto Show debut this week.



- Three hit Biohazard/Resident Evil games are coming to PS4 and XBOX One in celebration of the franchise's 20th anniversary! The first is Biohazard 6, coming on the 29th of March, featuring all the DLC contents, Japanese audio, improved frame rate, and ResidentEvil.net exclusive outfits. In Summer 2016, Biohazard 5 will be out and in the Autumn of 2016, Biohazard 4 will be out.



- Evolution Studios, the developer of the popular PS4 racing game DriveClub, has been closed by parent compay Sony. This news comes nearly a year following the studio's recent layoffs affecting over fifty employees, resulting in the studio being restructured and focusing on the game as a service. DriveClub was originally intended as a PS4 launch title but was delayed to 2014 with disastrous launch day results. However, numerous upadtes have been implemented to become one of the most popular PS4 racing games to day. The recent DLC, Finish Line, was launched today featuring Koenigsegg's brand new hybrid hypercar, the Regera, and the legendary Jaguar XJ220.



- The hit BBC TV series Doctor Who has smashed the Guinness World Records title for the "Largest gathering of Doctor Who characters at Comic Con event in Mexico". A total of 492 Doctor Who cosplayers participated in the milestone.



TTFN!!!

Islamic State claims responsibility on the Brussels attacks


According to the latest reports regarding the recent attacks at an airport and a metro station in the Belgian capital Brussels, the Islamic State terrorists claimed responsibility for these attacks.

Right now, 34 people are reportedly killed in the blasts while over two hundred people are hurt. Prosecutors released a CCTV footage of three men suspected behind the airport bombing. In the raid, police found a nail bomb, an Islamic State flag, and chemicals.

Authorities are believed that the bomb maker behind last year's Paris attacks could be the key suspect in the recent attack. Najim Laachraoui is listed as one of Europe's most wanted criminals upon his return to Syria. It is believed that the attacked was carried following the arrest of Paris attack suspect Salah Abdeslam last weekend.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/12201611/Brussels-bombings-terrorist-attack-on-Belgium-airport-and-Metro-live.html

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Brussels terror attacks hit an airport and station


There was a recent explosion occured at Brussels' Zaventem airport snd Maelbeek metro station. As of right now, the casuality is now reported to 23.

No one knows who claimed the attack on two sites in the Belgian capital but prosecutors say, it is believed to be a suicide attack.

In response, the Belgian government has placed into full alert with Brussels in full lockdown and establishments shut.

Report: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/22/brussels-attacks-what-we-know-so-far

A list of Resident Evil movies

As we continue on the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Biohazard/Resident Evil franchise, it's time to focus on the movies.



When the first Resident Evil film launched in 2002, it spanned into five films currently and despite its loose ends with a few references from the games, these films showcases just how badass action starlet Milla Jovovich performed as Alice, a woman who used to worked at Umbrella's secret facility and ended up being a BOW of her own trying bring down Umbrella to its knees even if it cost her life. If the Hollywood movie adaptations never met up to the fans' expectations, there are two CGI anime films that worked the charm very well.

With work on the final Hollywood adaptation of the Resident Evil film as well as a 2017 CGI anime movie is underway, time to list down the films loosely or heavily inspired from the games.

Resident Evil (2002) - The first film was loosely inspired from the first Biohazard/Resident Evil game. In here, a group of soldiers infiltrated a mysterious mansion, only to find out that it hides a secret facility only a woman named Alice knows what.

Resident Evil Apocalypse (2004) - Drawing inspiration from RE2 and RE3, this second film sees Alice escaped from the laboratory and fights her way to escape the zombie-infested town we know as Raccoon City. Elements from the game are featured in this film such as the BOW Nemesis, Jill Valentine, and the UBCS units, including RE3's Carlos Oliveira.

Resident Evil Extinction (2007) - In Extinction, years has passed since the Raccoon City incident, the T-Virus outbreak decimated all of mankind and the organization behind the terror that is Umbrella, set up underground facilities conducting research on bioweapons. Alice, who survived another laboratory capture from the last film, ventures in the Nevada wastelands to find survivors. RE characters such as the infamous Albert Wesker and Claire Redfield made appearances in this film.

Biohazard Degeneration (2008) - As a proper, no holds barred, anime movie inspired from the world of the Biohazard/Resident Evil games, Degeneration sees former cop turned US agent Leon S. Kennedy as he takes on a terrorist attack at the Harvardville Airport.

Resident Evil Afterlife (2010) - In the fourth film, Alice lost her superhuman abilities during her encounter with Albert Wesker in Tokyo. Months later, Alice is venturing the Pacific to reunite with Claire and the others as she searches for a place known as Arcadia. After a sudden reunion with Claire, who ended up under a pawn of Umbrella's hands, the two met up with the other survivors at a prison in Los Angeles. In this film, not only the Majinis from RE5 showed up in the film but also the movie appearance of Chris Redfield.

Biohazard Damnation (2012) - There are two films made to coincide with the launch of Biohazard 6/Resident Evil 6. This anime movie is one of them and in Damnation, followup to Degeneration, sees Leon S. Kennedy taking on the Eastern Slav Republic while ignoring orders to retreat. Leon's not alone though as an old friend of his, the female spy Ada Wong, is also on the case regarding this Eastern Slav rebellion.

Resident Evil Retribution (2012) - In this fifth installment, Alice is under the prying eyes of Jill Valentine at a secret underground facility hidden in the frozen Siberian waters. Upon making her escape, Alice receives a message from her old enemy, Albert Wesker, about escaping the facility full of simulated locations including Tokyo, New York, and Moscow. A team of soldiers, led by Leon S. Kennedy, will arrive at the rendezvous point and it's up to Alice to use by any means necessary to escape the facility before Jill gets to her way.

These are the list of films inspired from the Biohazard/Resident Evil games. While we are looking forward for the next films coming soon, feel free to enjoy these Resident Evil films anytime if you're in the mood to dive into the franchise's 20 year history before you die.

Photo: Sony Pictures

GM Korea Chevrolet Captiva - 2016 minor change

2016 GM Korea Chevrolet Captiva
2016 GM Korea Chevrolet Captiva interior

The Captiva crossover has been in South Korean roads for five years and the folks from GM Korea managed to give it a much needed facelift to keep this once world-proven crossover afloat in times of challenges the South Korean division of General Motors faced following Chevrolet's withdrawal from the European market.

First and not the most amusing one, the exterior has been revised with a new front view reflecting the new global look for Chevrolet and I know some of you never liked the new Chevrolet look in the front because some might complain that this new look might just spoil its once great look but while if you're not making an issue about the front, check out the rear side because the taillights have been given an updated look and aside from that, the 2016MY Captiva features refreshed wheel designs to keep its dynamic look alive and well despite the odds.

2016 GM Korea Chevrolet Captiva interior
2016 GM Korea Chevrolet Captiva

The interior is heavily revised with some new tech including the upgraded MyLink with phone projection technology featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, Bluetooth connectivity, and Siri Eyes Free which lets your voice do the operation. Its seven-seater capacity remains the same as well as seven ways to fold the seats to accomodate more luggage spaces especially the ones you bought at a nearby thrift store.

The only engine available for the facelifted Captiva is a Euro 6-compliant 2.0L ECOTEC diesel engine producing 170PS of power and 40.8kg-m of torque, mated with a 6-speed automatic gearbox sourced from Japan-based transmission manufacturer Aisin. This gearbox delivers improved acceleration, response, quietness, and better fuel economy. When switched to Sport Mode, it delivers direct throttle response to get things afloat. It even comes with a different kind of power steering called R-EPS, which provides a much direct handling for the new Captiva.

The new Chevrolet Captiva even comes with loads of safety features such as a rear-view camera, Blind Spot Alert, Rear cross traffic alert, electronic stability control, active rollover protection, Hill Start Assist, six airbags, and many more to keep this crossover safer than none.

The 2016MY Captiva starts at 28,090,000 Korean Won.

Photo: GM Korea Company

Let's Do The News! (March 22, 2016)


- The Chinese government is flexing its military muscle in the South China Sea, driving away Filipino fishermen from Panatag Shoal and preventing the Indonesian coast guard from detaining a Chinese vessel caught poaching in Indonesian waters. Earlier, 10 Filipino fishermen reported being harassed from the Panatag Shoal by Chinese coast guard at the weekend. Also, the incident occured on the 19th of March prompted the Indonesian government to take it to the international tribunal of the law of the sea.

- During US President Barack Obama's historical Cuban visit, he prodded with Cuban leader Raul Castro over human rights and the longstanding US economic embargo during an unprecedented news conference that stunned Cubans unaccustomed to their leaders being aggressively question. During his meeting at the Palace of the Revolution, Obama repeatedly pushed Castro to take steps to address Cuba's human rights record.

- For this year's Balikatan exercises, mobile rocket and missile platforms will be deployed for the first time in a live-fire drill to be held at the Crow Valley gunnery range in Tarlac, amid rising tensions in the South China Sea. Aside from the usual air and armored assets, the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System will be used in the live-fire phase of the exercise, according to the spokesman for this year's joint military drill.

- Japan's new security laws will take effect on the 29th of March. The legislation allows the nation to exercise the right to collective self-defense as well as expansion of Self Defense Forces globally. The new laws were enacted by the Diet last year.

- The South Korean government confirmed the country's first case of the Zika virus. The Health and Welfare Ministry said that a 43-year-old male was diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus earlier in the day. The man reportedly stayed in Brazil in over three weeks on business before returning to South Korea on the 11th of March. He suffered a fever after his return and he'd been bitten by a mosquito in Brazil.

- The South Korean National Defense Ministry believes that North Korea used a new type of launch system when it fired five projectiles yesterday. The Korean Central News Agency reported that the country had tested a new type of high-caliber multiple rocket launching system in the presence of leader Kim Jong Un. The rpeort said the launch was the rocket's final test before operational deployment and that targets in South Korea lie within its range.

- The Federal Bureau of Investigation says an outside source may be able to hack the iPhone used by the suspect in last year's San Bernardino shootout. It says if viable, it would no longer need Apple's help to crack the phone. A California court has agreed to the FBI's request to delay the hearing on the matter scheduled for Tuesday.

- Ford, Shelby American, and Hertz will present the 2016 Mustang Shelby GT-H at the New York Auto Show, honoring the 50th anniversary of the original Rent-A-Racer. True to its roots, 140 units will be made for rental use.

2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT-H
- Lucas Till will be playing as the new MacGyver in an upcoming reboot fo the classic 80's TV action show. Alongside Till are former CSI actor George Eads and new comer Joshua Boone.

- During last weekend's live event, singer TM Revolution announced that MAGES' fictional male idol group B-PROJECT will star in their very first video game adaptation. The singer will serve as the project's producer while composer/writer Chiyomaru Shikura is the original creator in chage of project planning. B-PROJECT, so far, features four fictional idol groups; Kitakore, Thrive, MooNs, and Killer King.

TTFN!!!

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: SoKor, US envoys hold talks on North Korea


The top nuclear envoys of South Korea and the United States will hold talks on North Korea this afternoon in Seoul, following their first round of high-level talks on the sanction on the North with Daniel Fried, the US State Department's coordinator for sanctions policy.

Washington's special representative for North Korea policy Sung Kim and South Korea's top nuclear envoy Kim Hong-kyun are expected to discuss joint responses to Pyongyang's evolving nuclear threats.

Meanwhile, the Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim Jong-Un superviced the recent test firing of missiles yesterday, relaying that the NoKor leader voiced satisfaction over the precision exercised by the latest high-caliber projectiles. The media outlet added that Kim sang the praises of North Korean scientists, military factory workers, and engineers for creating a weapons system that enhanced the abilities to attack South Korea.

The report didn't mention the date of the training but appears to be referring to the North's short-range missile launched between 1500 to 1600 hours on Monday.

In the meantime, South Korea and the US navies began their five-day joint naval drills today to boost their preparedness against potential military provocations by North Korea.

Source: Arirang News

A brief history of Biohazard

Today, the 22nd of March, 2016, marks the 20th anniversary of Capcom's flagship survival horror franchise Biohazard/Resident Evil since the first one released on the PSX on 1996. Now it will be the perfect time to jot down the brief history of the Biohazard/Resident Evil franchise with the terrifying heritage that needs to be saved with an ink ribbon. Got your ink ribbons ready? Time to access the Umbrella Chronicles file no. BH3229616, 20 years of Biohazard from Arklay Mountains to Langshiang, China.

Biohazard 20th Anniversary


Biohazard (1996) - The first Biohazard game was launched in the Sony PlayStation on the 22nd of March, 1996 and it invented the survival horror genre by storm. In the first game, players can either play as Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine, each with their own abilities and storyline, and emerge to the darkness as they will investigate the mystery inside a mysterious mansion that hides a deadly secret that caused world chaos as we knew it. A year later, there was a Director's Cut version featuring stuff that never put in the original game.

Biohazard 2 (1998) - Two years after the first game, Capcom launched the sequel on the PSX in 1998, on Dreamcast as part of the Value Pack in 1999, Nintendo 64 in 2000, and on GameCube in 2003. In this sequel, players can play as a young female Claire Redfield or a rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy as they will survive the nightmare that surrounds the zombie-plagued Raccoon City. There are bonuses in the end of the game such as an EX Mode, a new scenario featuring Umbrella agent HUNK, and a bonus one featuring...Tofu?

Biohazard 3: Last Escape (1999) - The third installment of the Biohazard franchise titled Biohazard 3: Last Escape (Resident Evil 3: NEMESIS) was launched on the PSX and Dreamcast (part of the Value Pack) in 1999, and on GameCube in 2003. Set during the events of the second game, former STARS member Jill Valentine must escape the inescapable zombie labyrinth of Raccoon City by all means necessary. The endgame bonuses include the first-ever "The Mercenaries" mini-game as well as additional costumes for Jill via the Boutique Key at the start of another game.

Biohazard: Gun Survivor (2000) - This is basically a loose spin-off that has no direct relation to the Biohazard/Resident Evil series and this is the first game which is set as a first-person shooter game. Launched on the PSX in 2000, Biohazard Gun Survivor (Resident Evil Survivor) pits players as a male protagonist who lost his memory after an accident and he must fight back against monsters surrounding a mysterious town while regaining his memory and find out who he really is.

Biohazard -Code: Veronica- (2000) - The tale of two Redfield siblings; Claire and Chris, are told in this installment of the Biohazard/Resident Evil franchise that was launched on the Dreamcast in 2000. Claire Redfield, who continues to search for her brother Chris, was imprisoned in Rockfort Island and she must fight her way out while uncovering the secrets of the Ashford lineage. Later on, players will be able to play as Chris in the second half of the game. The Complete Version (known as Resident Evil -Code: Veronica- X), launched on the PS2 on 2001, features additional scenes never before seen in the Dreamcast version. It was part of the Biohazard Revival Selection for the PS3 in 2011 with HD remastering and trophy support.

Gun Survivor 2: Biohazard -Code: Veronica- (2001) - The second Gun Survivor game is based on last year's Code: Veronica and it was launched in the arcades in 2001 with the PS2 version launched a year later with GunCon2 compatibility. This game has some Time Crisis feel to the Code: Veronica story we are familiar with.

Biohazard GAIDEN (2002) - Biohazard's gone portable with a Game Boy Color spinoff game called Biohazard/Resident Evil Gaiden. Launched in 2002, players pit as Barry Burton as he's on the mission to investigate a zombie-infested cruise-liner, rescue Leon and a young survivor, and avert a Bio-Organic Weapon threat hidden in this ship.

Biohazard (2002) - The very first Biohazard/Resident Evil game gave a much needed reboot for the 21st century on the GameCube in 2002 and while this essentially an all-new game, the terrifying story of the first Biohazard/Resident Evil game remains the same as players can either play as Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine while discovering the hidden world of the mansion they're on. A Wii version (I believe) was launched in 2008 while an HD remaster was launched for PS3/PS4 and XBOX 360/XBOX One in 2014. This game was part of the Origins Collection recently launched for the PS4 and XBOX One last January.

Biohazard 0 (2002) - In late 2002, the prequel of the Biohazard/Resident Evil saga was launched in the Gamecube and here in Biohazard 0/Resident Evil 0, players can play as both STARS newcomer Rebecca Chambers and escaped convict Billy Coen, taking advantage of their abilities, while solving the mysteries behind the murders, fend off horde of zombies, and discover the root cause. In fact, this is the first Biohazard/Resident Evil game that can be played cooperatively with two players. A Wii version was launched in 2008 while an HD remaster was launched for PS3/PS4 and XBOX 360/XBOX One in 2016. This game was part of the Origins Collection recently launched for the PS4 and XBOX One last January.

Gun Survivor 4: Biohazard HEROES NEVER DIE (2003) - In early 2003, the fourth installment of the Gun Survivor series called Biohazard HEROES NEVER DIE (Resident Evil Dead Aim) features an original storyline where anti-Umbrella agent Bruce MacGavin takes on a sea-jacked cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean while taking against Umbrella's suspicious activities. Being a first-person shooter game, HEROES NEVER DIE on the PS2 is GunCon2 compatible for an arcade-feel shoot-em-up 

Biohazard Outbreak (2003) - The loose spin-off of the Biohazard/Resident Evil franchise is the first game to be played cooperatively with PS2's online connectivity. In Outbreak, players choose as one of the Raccoon City survivors, each with their own kinds of abilities and work together as a team to survive through the inescapable death trap as well as different choices players will make.

Biohazard Outbreak File #2 (2004) - Like the first Outbreak game, File #2 is a co-op game where players work together to escape Raccoon City by any means necessary. In File #2, fans will discover the root cause of the T-Virus outbreak by surviving through different locations such as zoo, the subway, and the police station.

Biohazard 4 (2005) - Launched on the Gamecube and PS2 in 2005, Biohazard 4/Resident Evil 4 features an evolved gameplay in the form of a third-person shooter game as well as intense close-combat. Set six years after the Raccoon City incident, former police officer Leon S. Kennedy is now a government agent and he's assigned on a mysterious place in Europe for a search and rescue operation to save Ashley Graham, the president's daughter, from a mysterious cult known as Los Illuminados.  Biohazard 4 features a currency system where players can purchase items, weapons, and upgrades from a roaming merchant. By finishing the game, players will gain access to additional scenarios featuring the fan-favorite femme fatale, Ada Wong, as well as The Mercenaries minigame. There was a Wii version of the game launched in 2007 and that's not all, it was part of the Biohazard Revival Selection for the PS3 in 2011 with HD remastering and trophy support.

Biohazard Deadly Silence (2006) - The mansion incident that began the nightmare as we know it is retold on the Nintendo DS handheld as Deadly Silence was launched in 2006. There are two ways to play Deadly Silence such as the original and the more extreme Rebirth mode with new puzzles, monster placements, and touch screen-specific minigames. Apart from that, it can be played ad-hoc for multiplayer competitiveness.

Biohazard: Umbrella Chronicles (2007) - Launched for the Wii in late 2007, the Umbrella Chronicles is a brand new shooter game in the Biohazard/Resident Evil franchise where players have to shoot different monsters and objects while reliving tales of Biohazard 0, Biohazard, and Biohazard 3: Last Escape, as well as discovering untold stories such as how did Wesker revived and escaped the mansion without a scratch, how did Ada escaped Raccoon City, and Umbrella's top secret facility hidden in Siberia with the ending players truly discover who put the end of Umbrella as we knew it. A PS3 version with PlayStation Move compatibility was released in 2012 alongside the Darkside Chronicles.

Biohazard 5 (2009) - Launched on the PS3 and XBOX 360 in the spring of 2009, Biohazard 5/Resident Evil 5 brings more action to the survival horror franchise as players are engaging in the never-ending war on terror as Chris Redfield, who is now part of the counterterrorism force BSAA, as he is searching for his longtime partner Jill Valentine through the African battlefield swarmed by Majinis. Fighting alongside Chris is BSAA's African agent Sheva Alomar, and together, they can take on numerous foes side-by-side thanks to its brand new co-op system where players can share items or revive when they're on a dying state, allowing for a much needed strategy players can think of. Best of all, it can be played by twos online or by split-screen. There was an Alternative Edition (Gold Edition) launched exclusively for the PS3 a year later featuring two Jill-centric episodes such as Lost in Nightmares and Desperate Escape, additional costumes for Chris and Sheva, The Mercenaries Reunion, and bonus extras.

Biohazard: The Darkside Chronicles (2010) - Capcom started the year 2010 with the bang with The Darkside Chronicles on the Wii. In The Darkside Chronicles, the tales of Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield are retold with a shooter twist as players have to shoot enemies and objects in a more cinematic manner. Although this shooter retells the tales of Biohazard 2 and Code: Veronica, The Darkside Chronicles features a brand new storyline about Leon, joining alongside Jack Krauser, on a South American village for a manhunt on the suspect behind the missing girls. A PS3 version with PlayStation Move compatibility was released in 2012 alongside the Umbrella Chronicles.

Biohazard: The Mercenaries 3D (2011) - The fan-favorite Mercenaries game on the Biohazard/Resident Evil franchise has landed on the 3DS with The Mercenaries 3D. In this game, players can choose as their favorite Biohazard heroes and villains and set off on a killing spree to set the best personal high score as well as unlocking goodies in-game.

Biohazard Revelations (2012) - Launched on the 3DS at the start of 2012, Biohazard Revelations/Resident Evil Revelations ventures on the tale of Jill Valentine, who is new to the BSAA, as she ventures into the secrets of the cruise liner Queen Zenobia as well as the secrets behind the Terragrigia Panic a year ago. Featuring a eclectic cast of characters, episodic storyline, an arsenal of weapons and gadgets (including the Genesis scanner), a new Raid Mode for some killing spree, and a new breed of action horror gameplay, Biohazard Revelations sets the standards for 3DS action games. There was an Unveiled Edition available in most home consoles (PS3, XBOX 360, and Wii U) and PCs a year later with HD revision.

Biohazard: Operation Raccoon City (2012) - The perks of becoming one of the Umbrella soldiers are crawling through the fans with a spinoff game Operation Raccoon City. Launched on the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC in 2012, Operation Raccoon City is a team-based third person shooter game where players can play as one of the members of the Umbrella Security Service, each with their own distinct abilities, and work together to survive through different campaigns.

Biohazard 6 (2012) - The war on bioterrorism has reached a global scale as Biohazard 6/Resident Evil 6 launched on the PS3 and XBOX 360 consoles in late 2012 and it has proven to be one of the best Biohazard games ever played thanks to its dynamic gameplay, co-op, the biggest storyline to date, and more to expect in this installment. In the Leon scenario, Division of Security Operations Agent Leon S. Kennedy and Secret Service Agent Helena Harper must prove their innocence upon the death of thousands of people including the US President at Tall Oaks. In the Chris scenario, BSAA's Chris Redfield and Piers Nivans must avenge their fallen comrades while averting a global chaos. In the Jake scenario (obviously one of our favorites), mercenary Jake Muller, a descendant of the slain terrorist mastermind Albert Wesker, is mankind's last hope because of his antibodies for the C-virus and with US agent Sherry Birkin tagging along Jake, the duo must fend off against pursuers trying take advantage of Jake's antibodies. In the Ada scenario, female spy Ada Wong must clear her name from the merciless mess caused by her doppleganger. This game features a crossover system, where in some parts of the game, two sides will collide to complete a common objective. There's also an Agent Hunt mode where players make misery out of others as one of the BOWs.

Biohazard Revelations 2 (2015) - The long awaited return of franchise legends Claire Redfield and Barry Burton are chronicled in Biohazard Revelations 2/Resident Evil Revelations 2. This new installment is a four-part story and each part is downloadable for 741 Yen (780 on Xbox One). The full version was offered on Xbox One, Playstation 3, and Playstation 4 for 4,990 Yen (plus tax) with bonus extras. There's also a PSVita version offered as well. Claire, working for NGO TerraSave, was imprisoned in a desolate island alongside Barry's daughter Moira and they were under the prying eyes of the Overseer. Barry, meanwhile, sets off alone to save his daughter, with a little help of a mysterious little girl named Natalia Korda. True to their team-ups, this game can be played cooperatively online or split-screen. Raid Mode, as seen on the first one, returns with even more ways to play.

Biohazard Umbrella Corps (2016) - To be launched on the PS4 and PC this May 2016, Umbrella Corps features action based missions that can be played online or solo. Players take on different areas set in the world of the Biohazard/Resident Evil series while mastering different classes in series of missions that will test their abilities.

...end of file archive concerning 20 years of Biohazard history. Hope you filed this history lesson for another twenty years of fear and the never-ending war on bioterrorism! Oh, and have a green herb when you're done.

WHAT A TOUGH GUY!

F1 2016: Australian GP

Photo: Getty Images

The 2016 season of Formula One kicked off in Melbourne, Australia, with disastrous results beginning with the elimination-style qualifiers, which team bosses deemed to be disastrous for the drivers. Because of such notice, they are reverting back to old-school qualifying in Bahrain next month. What's even more terrifying at the start of this season is the sudden airborne rollover by McLaren-Honda's Fernando Alonso during his overtake with Esteban Gutierrez from the new Haas F1 team. Luckily though, both drivers survived the horrid accident. Other mishaps in the opener include Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat, whose F1 car failed to start before the race began and Kimi Raikkonen from Ferrari, whose car caught on fire during pitstop.

Despite Sebastian Vettel's flying start, the two Mercedes-AMG drivers are triumphant at the terrifying season opener in Australia. Rosberg's placed 1st while Hamilton's placed 2nd. Vettel's in third place. Other finishers include Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo, Williams' Felipe Massa, Romain Grosjean from the new Haas F1 team, newcomer Nico Hulkenberg from Force India, Valtteri Bottas from Williams, Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz Jr., and Max Verstappen.

The next race is set at Bahrain on the 3rd of April, 2016.

Six Nations 2016 FINAL


In the fifth and final round of the annual RBS 6 Nations championship, the Welsh Rugby Union triumphed against the FIR Italia at the score of 67-14. The reasons how did the Welsh scored that high against the Italians are all thanks to the 21-point score by Dan Biggar and second half tries by Ross Moriarty, among many others.

Meanwhile, the IRFU defeated Scotland at the score of 35-25 while the England Rugby defeated the FFR at the score of 31-21.

Highlights:



At the end of this season's RBS 6 Nations, the winner is the England Rugby!



What a tough match! This is the first time the England Rugby won the Grand Slam title since 2003. And that concludes this season of the RBS 6 Nations championship. See you again.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Hyundai IONIQ electric

Last January, Hyundai introduced the IONIQ hybrid hatchback which is known to be South Korea's equivalent to the Toyota Prius and this car promises to be more fun to drive than the commoner's Prius but some had concerns that its double clutch gearbox may repeat the same problem as today's Honda Fit Hybrid, which as a matter of fact, it did.

2017 Hyundai IONIQ electric
2017 Hyundai IONIQ electric interior

For those who are planning to own a new IONIQ but afraid that the double clutch setup on the hybrid variant may upset your driving pleasure, fear not because Hyundai is now offering an electric version of the IONIQ eco hatchback aside and this will be the second addition to the IONIQ as the third variant, the Plug-In Hybrid version, is slated to arrive later this year.

Just like the hybrid version, the electric IONIQ is benefitted to its aerodynamics that delivers a class-leading Cd value of 0.24. To make sure they don't confuse it to the hybrid IONIQ, the electric can be distinguished by the copper colored accents. Why copper? Good question because copper is an element that as the property to conduct electricity. That's some science for you. Also, it even comes with a different interior layout featuring the shift-by-wire system that allows the driver to switch different drive modes at the palm rest.

But unlike the hybrid, the IONIQ electric features a 28kWh li-ion polymer battery and an 88kW drive motor that delivers up to 180km of mileage in one full charge but it varies depending on the certification results in-house test standards per city. It even comes with an inverter that utilizes the advanced indoor heating and uses high-efficiency heating and cooling system to reduce the power consumption, allowing for better driving distance possible.

With the sat-nav set, it is possible to locate the nearest charging stations if the car is running low on power by setting it to ECO route guidance. It calculates real-time traffic, speed, power consumption and so on. Aside from that, they can even change the power settings with the use of the smartphone.

The IONIQ electric also comes with an array of safety features such as autonomous braking assist, Advanced Smart Cruise Control, and Lane Keeping Assist System, just to balance things out.

The electric model is priced at 40 to 43 million won after tax benefit but the availability for the IONIQ electric varies by area. Some are in a "first come, first serve" basis while other areas can determine purchasers via lottery system. You can't just barge in and have one of these. You are going to wait in line like the rest of the Koreans trying to book one, which is kinda lame and boring for a different type of ownership.

Available colors: Polar White, Platinum Silver, Aurora Silver, Phantom Black, Marina Blue, Phoeix Orange, and Blazing Yellow,

Photo: Hyundai Motor Company

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: NoKor reportedly fires five missiles


The South Korean military reported that North Korea has fired five projectiles towards the Sea of Japan.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the North fired five missiles or rockets from near Hamhung in the eastern province of Hamgyong-namdo between 1519 and 1605 hours local time. The projectiles flew about 200 kilometers before falling in the Sea of Japan. They are analyzing the situation.

This month, numerous test-firings in North Korea had occurred such as the firing of two scud missiles on the 10th of March and two Rodong missiles eight days later.

Source: NHK World

Let's Do The News! (March 21, 2016)


- The second round of the PiliPinas Debates 2016 happened at the University of the Philippines, Cebu City, yesterday, and the presidential candidates; Vice President Jejomar Binay, Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Grace Poe, and former DILG secretary Mar Roxas, get caught in a verbal crossfire as the candidates deal with the current issues in the Philippines as well as themselves in the road to the May elections.

- Former Philippine Stock Exchange employee Jay Peñaflor is believed to have transferred millions of pesos allegedly taken from investors into offshore accounts but the Securities and Exchange Commission said it would collaborate with international governments to possibly recover the money. Peñaflor is the rogue financier behind the million-peso scam who is now facing separate syndicated estafa complains filed by his victims before the Department of Justice and the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office.

- Philippine President Benigno Aquino III ordered the agencies focused on road and travel safety to ensure the safety of the motorists during the Holy Week. According to the Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., the order was given to most government agencies as well as the Toll Regulatory Board and the Metro Manila Development Authority.

- The Turkish interior minister identified the suicide bomber who attacked Istanbul and killed four people last Saturday as a man affiliated with the Islamic State militants. At a news conference, DNA tests identified the bomber as Mehmet Ozturk. He's from the southeastern city of Gaziantep near the Syrian border. The explosion killed four people and injured 39. Authorities suspect three other ISIL militants plan to attack the country and they are searching for the suspects and have disclosed their names and photos.

- US President Barack Obama arrived in Cuba for his three-day visit to the country. This is the first visit to the country by an incumbent US president in almost six decades following the restored diplomatic ties last July after Obama changed US policy. The US leader will hold a summit with Cuban leader Raul Castro in Havana and take part in a panel discussion with US businesspeople and Cuban entrepreneurs.

- A military helicopter crashed yesterday in the central part of Indonesia, killing 12 people on board and leaving one person missing. The Indonesian army helicopter crashed and engulfed into flames on a farming area in the suburbs of Poso, Sulawesi Island. The military has deployed troops in Poso to subdue militants pledging allegiance to the ISIL and has its stronghold in the area. Officials suspect bad weather might have been a factor.

- Production of the all-new Acura/Honda NSX hybrid sportscar will commence at the end of next month at the Marysville plant in Ohio.

- After the final VW Phaeton produced at its transparent Dresden factory on the 18th of March, Volkswagen plans to realign its transparent plant for electromobility and digitization purposes in the future. Next month, the plant will remain open for events as well for vehicle delivery and preparation following the updates.

- Although veteran actor Harrison Ford is done being Han Solo in the Star Wars saga following last year's The Force Awakens, Disney, who now owns LucasFilm, announced that a brand new Indiana Jones movie is set to hit theaters in the summer of 2019 with Steven Spielberg as the director, meaning that Ford's time as Dr. Jones is still whipping.

- LITTLE DID YOU KNOW: There is a hidden message somewhere in one of the lyrics of the song featured on the recently released self-titled album from Pile, the singer behind the voice of Love Live's Maki Nishikino. Find out here...

TTFN!!!

Opel/Vauxhall Astra K Sports Tourer

Last year, GM Europe had introduced the all-new Opel/Vauxhall Astra K, a new generation of the hatchback that was once used as Top Gear's Reasonably Priced Car and it was a major improvement to its predecessor in terms of technology, driving dynamics, and user friendliness. For those who want to have the same feel of the hatchback but with some added space, look no further with the Sports Tourer variant.

2016 Opel Astra Sports Tourer
2016 Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer

The new Sports Tourer variant for the all-new Astra K offers the same technology, driving dynamics, and user friendliness as the hatchback version, now with an additional 26 millimeters of headroom and 28 millimeters more legroom at the back. As for the spacing, it can now accommodate up to 1,630 liters of luggage space courtesy of its optional foldable rear seats, which is more than enough to fill in some haul from your estate sale list. Sounds practical but why would you want to?

Like the hatchback version, the Sports Tourer comes with the same choice of engines such as the new 1.0T SIDI, 1.4L, 1.4L SIDI Turbo, 1.6 SIDI Turbo, and a 1.6L CDTi (with an available Bi-Turbo) engine. They can be fitted, depending on the engine type, with either a 5-speed or a 6-speed manual but there are some gearboxes made specifically for some engine choices, like the 1.0L model which can be fitted exclusively with a 5-speed EasyTronic gearbox while a 6-speed automatic gearbox can be fitted on either a 1.4 EDIT ecoFLEX or a 1.6 CDTi ecoFLEX engine.

Because it uses the same new platform as the new Chevrolet Cruze had, a base Sports Tourer weighs 130kg lighter than the old model, resulting to a better handling, better comfort, better fuel consumption, and above all, cost-effective as well. Even with an added room in the back, the Sports Tourer behaves just like the hatchback. Not only it feels good to drive but it's surprisingly comfortable as well.

The Sports Tourer also comes with an array of safety tech such as the front camera system, advanced park assist which allows this car to park by itself, and the IntelliLux LED Matrix headlights which adjusts automatically depending on time and driving conditions.

Should you buy one? The new Sports Tourer starts at 18,260 Euros (16,585 Pounds) and it's a thousand more than the hatchback equivalent but considering this car's been through extensive testing, the new Sports Tourer is a smart buy for first timers who are looking for something practical enough to get through one estate sale after another, if they got some room in the boot to fill in their shopping cart full of stuff.

Photo: General Motors

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: SoKor, US to hold high-level talks on North Korea


South Korea and the United States to hold their first round of their high-level talks on the sanctions on North Korea in Seoul today. According to the official at Seoul's Foreign Ministry, South Korea's top nuclear envoy Kim Hong-kyun will meet Washington's special representative for North Korea policy Sung Kim at the Ministry, two weeks after their first meeting at the US capital city.

Today's talks will also be attended by the officials from the US Treasury and the Department of Commerce, indicating the meetings will focus on the effective implementation of the sanctions on North Korea imposed by the UN Security Council and individually by the US and South Korea.

Source: Arirang News

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Forza Motorsport 6: Cowboys and Equestrians

corvette

As I'm sure you know, this is the seventh-generation Chevrolet Corvette, a car that I never really liked. I never really liked the exterior, the interior, the mechanics, and the notoriety it gained when it first launched. I disliked this kind of Corvette so much, back in earlier times, I went into considerable lengths to threaten everyone not to like this car. But over the years, my attitude is softened and I'm starting to respect its performance, its motorsport pedigree, the awards, and the accolades it gained. I tried the Corvette...and I liked it.

corvette (2)

This particular Corvette is no ordinary Corvette. This is the brand new Z06 and for this generation, the new model has transformed into a half-decent supercar in a not-so-supercar pricing the top brass can afford one. Z06? It's a good thing they didn't call it the Z07 (even though this car comes with the Z07 package) because if they did, they'll be facing a hairy situation that they took the name from the once defunct shampoo product every Filipino heard of. What is it again? It sounds like "guard" or something.

Anyway, under the bonnet, the LT1 supercharged 6.2L V8 engine produces 650HP of power and same amount for torques, while mated with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. This V8 engine is the most powerful engine ever made by General Motors and this car can really succeed where my favorite Corvette, the C6 ZR1, left off.

The Z06 was heavily inspired by the Le Mans-winning C7.R racecar and as a matter of fact, some of the track-honed components from the C7.R can also be seen on the Z06 as well such as carbon fiber roof and hood which reduced weight and lowering the car's center of gravity, a dry sump oiling system that protects the supercharged engine during high-g turns, a hydroformed aluminum frame which keeps the new Z06 lightweight and strong, adjustable rear spoiler wickerbill, composite floor panels, and titanium intake valves and connecting rods.

corvette (3)

I had a blast upon driving the C7 Z06 during my days at Southern Europe but here, when used on the track, I can really feel the motorsport DNA that the C7.R employed on it and the more I kept driving this car, the more I can forget about how I feel about the latest-generation model since my first encounter.

The Z06 is the trump card of the latest Corvette and with supercar-like performance it delivers, the best sportscar made in the USA has gotten even better and despite being trained at being a lawless cowboy in the Wild West, it's still got the heart and soul of a classy equestrian taking things very seriously. Speaking of equestrians, I had a couple of equestrians this cowboy will face.

4c cayman

I have been joined here by two equestrians on the road and track; the Alfa Romeo 4C and the Porsche Cayman GTS. Both are European, mid-engined, and well-trained for track duty. Sure, both the 4C and the Cayman were beaten by the normal Corvette Stingray years ago, but with the C7 Z06 in possession, let's see how good this cowboy is while facing against two familiar equestrians at the Top Gear Track.



The Alfa 4C did it in 1:24.751, the Cayman GTS in 1:22.673, and the Z06 in 1:19.167, meaning that the Z06 did better in beating the other two Europeans just like what the normal Stingray did in real-life.

I was amazed that the Z06 is a major improvement to the seventh-generation Corvette and with a lap time like this, it's starting to feel like this car is 10% hypercar material even though it has a motorsport pedigree that was inspired from the racecar that raked numerous class wins at Le Mans. I had a lot of beef jerky to chew while getting to know this car but with the Z06 is starting to lose its jerky breath in favor for a more garlic breath to terrify the Europeans, I knew this car had nothing to hold back.

Perhaps no wonder it beaten every single car in last year's World's Greatest Drag Race. Even a more hardcore Cayman couldn't keep up against it! Now, would you excuse me, I have a date to keep.

The Ozone Disco Fire - 20 years ago...

File Photo: AFP

March 18, 1996. I was five years old at that time but I never forget one of the worst tragedies ever happened in the history of the Philippines, perhaps this is one of the main reasons fire-related tragedies are on all-time high every March due to the hot weather the Philippines has faced, apart from the El Nino of course.

It was late night at the Ozone Disco Club in Quezon City until a fire broke out and killed 162 people inside, most of them are students who are enjoying their end of school year with a half-price discount.

One of the key reasons about the incident that occurred 20 years ago are the lack of fire exit, swing-in doors that swing at the wrong direction, and the overcapacity of guests. These key reasons triggered what is known to be one of the worst club fire in the Philippines and the seventh worst in the world, according to the National Fire Protection Association. 

The tragedy happened 20 years ago will serve as a life-long lesson for establishments to comply with health and safety regulations. As for the survivors, the pain they felt 20 years ago are still lurking through their hearts but they are doing their best to move on from the disaster they've faced and onto their road to recovery by any means necessary.

Further Reading: http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/disasters/knowledge-base/87521-1996-ozone-disco-club-fire

Suicide bombing in Istanbul kills four


A week after the deadly Ankara bombing, another suicide bombing occured in Turkey, this time in Istanbul, where four people are killed and 36 others injured

Half of them who killed as well as eleven of the wounded are Israeli nationals, according to reports.

No one knows who claimed responsibility for the recent attack.