HOMEFRONT: The Revolution

Five years ago, the original HOMEFRONT game, once developed by KAOS Studio and published by THQ, two years before its bankruptcy, featured a fictional plausible take of the United States taking control by the North Koreans (who once unified the two Koreas not by the South but by the North) and the once America the Great is now abandoned and only a handful of resistance fighters wage war against the Korean People's Army. With the HOMEFRONT games now under Deep Silver's hands, the folks from Dambuster Studios rebooted the once-forgotten franchise with a bold new take.

HOMEFRONT: The Revolution (PC)

HOMEFRONT: The Revolution
(XBOX One)

HOMEFRONT: The Revolution
(PS4)

The revived HOMEFRONT game is now called HOMEFRONT: The Revolution and this game features a much different story than the old THQ-era HOMEFRONT game. In an alternate history, North Korea became a technological superpower thanks to a multinational technology company called APEX and with the whole world taking advantage of APEX's technologies, even the United States, it became one of the world's biggest companies. In the not-too-distant future, with the United States in the depths of financial ruin because of overspending with APEX-sourced tech from North Korea, the once great USA has been taken control by the Korean People's Army and a group of resistance fighters in Philadelphia is staging a revolution to take back America from the grips of not just North Korea but the corporation behind it.

The new HOMEFRONT game features open-world combat where players wage guerilla warfare and use any means necessary to slip past enemies in unbiased firefights. Apart from being a shooter game, The Revolution behaves like last year's everyone's personal favorite, Fallout 4, because you can gain new allies, make negotiations, establish bases and safehouses, create new weapons, and more. There are endless possibilities to create your own resistance to wage war against the KPA tyranny.

Believe it or not, playing The Revolution is becoming more of a party than your usual shooter because you can team up with other gamers and work your way through completing various missions from simpler ones to the most intense missions only the bravest heroes can ignite the revolution.

The fun continues because you can receive in-game bonuses by logging on to the official site or the Homefront Resistance Network app for iOS and Android. You can avail of the Expansion Pass to gain access to upcoming expansions coming this 2016 such as The Voice of Freedom and Aftermath as well as the Beyond the Walls expansion, due next year.

Thoughts on The Revolution? It's starting to behave like the Fallout games due to its open-world action and creating your own resistance out of the people you've trusted. However, the storyline and the action are too intense for the faint at heart and you have to be brave enough to endure the thrilling action The Revolution has offered. While this game is recommended to play on co-op because playing solo is not enough to finish the job, it is best to stick to the PC version because with paid memberships on the XBOX Live and PlayStation Plus plagued the newest consoles, you'll have to empty your wallet to enjoy playing with other players.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Trump says he would speak to N.Korea's Kim Jong Un

Republican US Presidentiable Donald Trump says he will be willing to hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to stop the country's nuclear program.

In an interview with a certain news agency, Trump would speak to the North Korean leader and would have no problem doing so. Trump added that he would at the same time put a lot of pressure on China. He said China can solve problems with the Korean peninsula's nuclear program with one meeting or one phone call.

Trump's remark draw flak from the camp of Democratic Party presidentiable Hillary Clinton.

Source: NHK World

Let's Do The News! (May 18, 2016)

- The Philippines has gained a "new territory" through the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea's ruling on the 13 million hectare Benham Rise. Until 2012, the seismically active underwater region known as the Benham Plateau and extinct volcanic ridge had not been part of the archipelago, despite the Philippines is the only country within 200 nautical miles of the plateau.

- Philippine President-Elect Rodrigo Duterte's plans to revive the death penalty sparked criticisms from the public, even those from the Catholic Church and officials. Among the critics of the revival of life imprisonment is Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo, who is leading in the vice presidential race.

- In the latest presidential primaries for the November 2016 US Presidential Elections, the heated battle between two Democratic presidentiables Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are heating up as Clinton wins at the Kentucky primaries while Sanders won the Oregon primaries. As of now, Clinton now has 2,291 delegates while Sanders is 763 delegates behind her.

- Series of bomb attacks in Baghdad, Iraq, have killed at least 70 people and injured 140 others. The Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for the attacks and all four bomb attacks took place within a few hours in areas populated by Shia Muslims. The Iraqi military and the US-led coaliton are stepping up an offensive against the Islamic State militants.

- US authorities opened the investigation into athletic doping by Russian athletes. According to reports, the US Justice Department is targeting anyone who might have benefited unfairly from doping. These would include Russian government officials, athletes, coaches, and anti-doping agency officials.

- In the ongoing fuel consumption crisis, South Korean authorities says Nissan manipulated emissions with their UK-built crossover with diesel engine, thanks to a dubious device that shuts off its exhaust reduction system under regular driving temperature.

- The long-awaited arrival of NASCAR in the world of Forza Motorsport 6 for the XBOX One console is here with the brand new FM6 NASCAR Expansion, now available for $20. The expansion not only sees the car roster full of 2016 season NASCAR machines but also the arrival of Homestead-Miami Speedway and the all-new NASCAR World Tour where players pit their NASCAR skills to the test against the world.

- Minzy, the former member of K-Pop girl group 2NE1, has officially signed with The Music Works Entertainment, a subsidiary of CJ E&M Music Performance Division. Minzy will be joining alongside singer Baek Ji Young on the record label.

- Torchwood alums John Barrowman (who played as Captain Jack Harkness) and Gareth David-Lloyd (who played Ianto Jones) are reprising their roles once again for their newest chapter of their Torchwood audio drama series titled Torchwood: Broken.

- With shooting for the fourth season of BBC's Sherlock has commenced, actor Toby Jones will be joining this season as a villain in the new season, due 2017.

TTFN!!!

F1 2016: Spanish GP

Image: Getty Images

The Spanish Grand Prix of the Formula One 2016 season held at Circuit de Catalunya became a historic F1 moment to remember because for the first time, a ranked outsider emerged a winner as Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who replaced Daniil Kvyat, became the youngest F1 driver to win a race and also the youngest to lead a race. Not bad for an 18-year-old ace driver.

Following Verstappen's historic win, two Ferrari drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel placed 2nd and 3rd. Despite their podium finish, things are going to be rough for the Ferrari F1 team.

Misfortunes aside, we witnessed Mercedes' downfall in the race as Hamilton and Rosberg crashed their machines during the start of the race. Fernando Alonso from McLaren-Honda, meanwhile, once again retired because his machine failed to start. And then, Force India's Nico Hulkenberg's car caught fire.

The overall standings sees a drastic change following Mercedes' DNF in the race. While Nico Rosberg remains his lead with 100 points, Ferrari's Raikkonen is now 2nd place with 61 points and Hamilton dropped to 3rd with 57 points.

The next race will be at Monaco on the 29th of May, 2016.

Forza Motorsport 6: The forgotten jack knife

The Hyundai Veloster has been around since its launch in 2011, about the same year when FM4 came out on the old X360, and despite its unique 3-door design for a hatchback coupe, the Veloster never wins the hearts of many audiences apart from feeling  a bit small even the additional door on the passenger side couldn't help it because the rear's just too small to squeeze into. Even in this turbocharged variant, which comes with a 1.6L Gamma T-GDi engine that produces 201HP of power as well as improved dynamics, it's still less spicy as Europe's best hot hatchbacks.

Despite its overwhelming flaws, I am one of the few people who got enamored by the Veloster's uniqueness. It once got a starring role in the City Hunter Korean drama with Lee Min Ho on it. Anyone remember that? No? Well, for some point, as years pass by, more and more people are starting to forget about the Veloster, despite last year's update featuring a D-Spec model with a 6-speed manual gearbox on it as well as a 7-speed DCT. Nevertheless, despite being aged through the years, the forgotten jack knife made by the South Koreans won't stop until its last fight song has ended.

In order for me to look back at the forgotten jack knife I once being a fan of it since its launch, let me go to the Circuit de Catalunya's National Circuit layout because with this track layout, I'm starting to feel some flashbacks about how much I became a fan of Hyundai's unique 2+1 hatchback coupe that is part of its Premium Younique Lifestyle for the Korean car enthusiasts.

Although not the best performance I could have done but still, I made South Korea's forgotten jack knife in automotive history very proud. Sure the Veloster is becoming a lackluster as years pass by but when in partial terms of endearment, its potential status as a future classic is going to be a baby step for those who valued the Veloster for their lifetime. It may not be a threat to Europe's finest hot hatch but the Veloster is just one of the many Hyundais that shows that the Korean car company has some zest into it. Not bad for a rapidly growing car company from Asia.

THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS STARLIGHT MASTER 02 Tulip

THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS
STARLIGHT MASTER 02 Tulip

After provided us with the extended version of Snow Wings, one of the songs as heard from THE IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls Starlight Stage app game, there's another Starlight Stage song getting the whole version never before heard by Starlight Stage fans many. This time, it's the song titled Tulip, performed by Kanade Hayami, Syuko Shiomi, Mika Jougasaki, Frederica Miyamoto, and Shiki Ichinose.

STARLIGHT MASTER 02 features not just the extended version of the Starlight Stage song Tulip but also songs like ステップ！by Mio Honda, and ニャンと☆スペクタクル by Miku Maekawa. Don't worry, you can expect these additional songs at the Starlight Stage app anytime soon but in the meantime, those who already master Tulip from Debut to Master difficulty setting will finally get what they deserve and expect more Starlight Stage songs getting the full M@STER VERSION treatment soon.

TRACK LISTINGS:

1) Tulip (M@STER VERSION)

2) ステップ！

3) ニャンと☆スペクタクル

4) Tulip (M@STER VERSION) オリジナル・カラオケ

5) ステップ！オリジナル・カラオケ

6) ニャンと☆スペクタクル オリジナル・カラオケ

7) Tulip (GAME VERSION)

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: North Korea gained foreign funds

North Korea is reportedly earning foreign cash by registering foreign vessels as North Korean ships, a practice which is a clear violation of UN sanctions.

VOA (Voice of America) reported that the Korean Peninsula registered six vessels from Middle East nations, including Iran and United Arab Emirates, from last year to March.

The report says the foreign shipping companies benefit from avoiding certain taxes, while Pyongyang gets the foreign currency it gained.

Source: Arirang News

Let's Do The News! (May 17, 2016)

- Two Chinese and three Vietnamese fishing vessels along with more than three dozen crew members have been detained by the Philippine anti-poaching patrols in the extreme north of the country. The arrest near tiny islands off the main island of Luzon came as a maritime dispute between Manila and Beijing simmers in the South China Sea. Two Chinese ships that were fraudulently flying the Philippine flag were detained along with 25 crew members off the island of Sabtang on Monday, according to reports.

- Senator Bongbong Marcos vowed to do everything in his power to ensure that the truth will prevail in the May 9 elections. Marcos issued a statement as he expressed gratitude for winning an overseas absentee voting over his closes for Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo. Robredo, however, kept her lead in the vice presidential race based on unofficial results of the COMELEC transparency server.

- World powers have agreed to lift the UN arms embargo on Libya, allowing it to ease the country's unity government to fight against the Islamic State militants. Cabinet ministers from about 20 countries met in Vienna, Austria, on Monday to discuss aid to Libya's unity government.

- As Leicester City gained its historic Premier League championship title, residents took to the streets to celebrate its first-ever title. The parade set off at around 6:00 PM local time from the city center. Leicester is located in England's East Midlands.

- The fifth Transformers movie finally gained a named and it will be titled "Transformers: The Last Knight".

- Joe Pytka, the director of the original Space Jam film (the one with the Looney Tunes on it) warns that the sequel that is going to be spearheaded by NBA superstar LeBron James may not be a good idea, despite fans are still raving about it.

- Mio Honda from THE IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls gets the Crystal Night Party figure treatment, thanks to GOOD SMILE COMPANY. It's now available for reservations starting at just 11,852 Yen plus tax and it will arrive this December.

- The Court of Tax Appeals orders the arrest of veteran writer/director/producer Carlo J. Caparas because of two cases of tax evasion. According to CTA, they have undeniable proof against him because he failed to pay the taxes since 2008.

TTFN!!!

Hawks are sent to Cannes to drive gulls away

Another weirdness is going on in Cannes amid the annual Cannes Film Festival and this time, a certain hotel is deploying hawks to drive seagulls away from causing nuisance at the festival.

The Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez sent out a group of trained hawks to fend off seagulls who may be hovering a little too close to its outdoor dining areas. Some say, it's their environmentally friendly solution to the gulls who are so used to humans that they don;t hesitate to come and help themselves. The birds are trained to fly above the hotel at an altitude of about 150m.

The Cannes film festival runs for 12 days and has brought some of Hollywood's finest to town as well as thousands of visitors.

Source: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/228906/cannes-hotel-deploys-hawks-to-keep-gulls-away-from-rich-and-famous

Let's Do The News! (May 16, 2016)

- Sulu Sultan Ibrahim Bahjin claimed that the men who beheaded Canadian John Ridsdel were drug dealers posing as members of an Islamic militant organization in order to gain support and publicity. According to Bahjin, it is public knowledge that armed kidnappers in the conflict areas in Sulu are drug addicts but somehow this is hidden from media attentions.

- The Court of Tax Appeals has dismissed tax evasion charges against the late Chief Justice Renato Corona after he passed away late last month. Corona's counsel filed a motion Monday morning seeking the dismissal of the tax charges against the late magistrate citing Article 89 of the Revised Penal Code. The prosecution no longer objected to the motion, prompting the Tax Court to grant it.

- 25 people were reportedly killed in an explosion at a police facility in southern Yemen and the Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for the attacks. The government-run media says Sunday's explosion wounded 51 others. They had gathered at a facility in Mukalla to apply for employment as police officers.

-  A suspicious-looking item prompted the cancellation of the Premier League final match at the home stadium of Manchester United. Spectators near the item was spotted were evacuated while local authorities carried out a controlled explosive of the item. Police said it was an incredibly life-like explosive device, but was not viable. The object was found in a toilet and is believed it have contained a mobile phone.

- Organizers of the Rio 2016 Olympics have kicked off a track and field event, the last in a series of test events for the games. The committee started holding such events last year to check on the operations at each venue.

- A month has passed since the series of Kumamoto quakes that struck the southern coast of Japan and some 10,000 people are still living outside their homes.

- Girls Generation's Tiffany will hold her first solo concerts as the sixth singer of SM Entertainment concert series "The Agit", held from the 10th to the 12th of June at SM Town Coex Artium in Seoul. It will be her first solo concerts since her 2007 debut to the group.

- Expect a 2017 minor change on the Honda N WGN kei car coming this early June.

2017 Honda N WGN

- Today marks the 10th Monthsary of AlDub and while there's a new Lola's Playlist segment going on in the latest Eat Bulaga Kalyeserye, AlDub posted some bits of their Italian shooting for their new film.

TTFN!!!

Forza Motorsport 6: The Camaro Six

This is the first and only car to be featured in the latest Forza Motorsport 6 Hot Wheels Car pack with General Motors' newly developed Alpha Platform, which is kinda odd why the climate from the producers' office is starting to get things gloomy when it comes to feature rides. Anyway, the sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro, the latest model to utilize the American automotive giant's Alpha Platform, has arrived and I got a chance to try out the new model.

Before taking a spin with the Camaro Six, let's explain what's what about the new model.

The previous fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro became a tremendous success since General Motors brought back the muscle car in 2009 long before its bankruptcy. Thanks to such success, Chevrolet has been prompted to regenerate the Camaro for its sixth generation.

For its sixth generation, the new Chevrolet Camaro departs from the previous model's Zeta platform (currently applied on the Aussie-import SS saloon) in favor of General Motors' newly developed Alpha platform, resulting in over 200lb of weight loss compared to the previous model.

Under the hood, the sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro offers three engine choices such as the newly developed 2.0L Ecotec turbo engine producing 275HP of power, the 3.6L V6 engine with 335HP of power, and the Corvette-derived 6.2L V8 engine producing 455HP of power and the same amount for torque. It can be mated with either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic.

Since its launch, the new Camaro was awarded Motor Trend's 2016 Car of the Year.

Being one of the many people who can witness how the new Camaro performs, I got to say that with this new platform that was used on today's Cadillacs that Forza Motorsport 6 is too afraid to feature it, driving that new Camaro still has some sportscar charm on its muscle car looks. It may look Southerner but it feels like a Northerner once you had fun with the new model and with all that sophisticated suspension setup deployed on its new platform as well as its Corvette-derived V8 engine, it's starting to feel like it's becoming the best Camaro ever made. I'm impressed how a car that was once a star in a Transformers film evolved into something different that still behaves like European sportscars, the same as its chief rival, the new Ford Mustang, would do in its time.

Hey, at least, the latest versions are now here to settle the score once and for all and since both of these sixth-generation muscle cars have new underbodies and new suspension setups, looks like it's going to be a heck of an inside job to compare these two and to find out, I'm at Long Beach to bring this next-gen rivalry to fruition. Mind you, while the new Camaro's V8 produces more power than the V8-powered Mustang, the Mustang is surprisingly lighter than the new Camaro, meaning this could be a very one-sided match.

And now, the results. The new Mustang did it in 1:46.228 while the new Camaro did it in 1:43.137, meaning that with that kind of record, I got to say that Chevrolet made the new Camaro a much greater fighter against the Mustang.

The new, sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro may have won the battle but the war of the pony car goes on because as these models unleash powerful versions, the clash of the muscle car titans keeps on rolling like tumbleweeds and they don't stop until someone throws in the towel. That is all, hope you enjoyed driving the new Camaro in-game.

Fake Cannes attack sends guest fleeing

A fake terrorist attack pulled at a hotel in Cannes was nothing more of a publicity stunt by a certain company.

Oraxy, the Paris-based internet company, was behind this stunt and it involves men dressed as soldiers storming through the Hotel du Cap just around the bay from Cannes. Witnesses say they were dressed as ISIS-like militias. an ode to the Islamic State militants who attacked Paris last November.

Bizarrely, the stunt occured at the 13th of May. Their first Friday the 13th since the deadly attacks.

Cannes has been on maximum security preparedness as it prepares for the annual film festival.

Source: http://entertainment.inquirer.net/194815/terror-attack-on-cannes-festival-hotel-sends-guests-in-panic#ixzz48hyvvfFU