SYRIA UPRISING: Syrian rebels call Peace Prize 'premature'

The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to those investigating the use of chemical weapons in Syria has been welcomed by Syria's Ruling Party, which claims it gave the government credibility, but Syrian rebels call Peace Prize "a premature step".

Story: FRANCE24

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: The story so far (10/11/13)

The story so far from the Korean Peninsula:

- South Korean president Park Geun Hye, during her Jakarta visit, reaffirmed this goal and said that the two nations should take specific actions to meet their target.

- Kenneth Bae, who's been detained in North Korea for almost a year, reportedly met with his mother after having gained permission from the authorities for a visit.

- World Bank president Jim Yong Kim has warned emerging markets to be prepared for the US Federal Reserve's tapering of massive bond-buying stimulus program.

Let's Do The News! (October 11, 2013)

The big science today or tonight or this morning:

- US Government Shutdown reaches Day 10 and Republicans offer Obama short-term debt extension.

- The 2013 LA Auto Show will be held this November 22 to December 1, overlapping with the auto shows in Tokyo, Japan (November 23 – December 1), and Guangzhou, China (November 21 – 23). There will be 22 world premieres in the show but what could those be? New MINI? New Porsche crossover? New Nissan crossover? 2015 Escalade? More to come later...

- Some say, he's The Stig but he isn't. He's The Stig's Digital Cousin and some say, you can beat him if you got the courage to challenge against Digital Stig. XBOX ONE's Forza Motorsport 5 gives players a chance to challenge against The Stig. Only Forza 5 gives you great Top Gear content to fans everywhere, from the Top Gear Track, Top Gear-inspired challenges, and voiceovers from Clarkson, Hammond, and May.

- BEWARE: With Santi now a Typhoon, PAGASA reported that several areas in Luzon are under Signal No. 3 such as the provinces of Aurora, Isabela, Quirino, Ifugao, Nueva Viscaya, Benguet and Nueva Ecija. Signal No.2 are in effect in La Union, Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Cagayan, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mt. Province, Tarlac, Zambales, Bulacan, Pampanga, Northern Quezon, and Polilio Island. Areas in Signal No. 1 are Metro Manila, Calayan Group of Islands, Babuyan Group of Islands, Bataan, Rizal, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Lubang Islands, Rest of Quezon, Marinduque, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Albay, and Catanduanes.

- Ford Philippines teams up again with Avon Philippines for the fight against breast cancer through their Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer campaign.

TTFN!

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: The story so far (10/10/13)

The story so far from the Korean Peninsula:

- South Korean president Park Geun-hye arrived in Jakarta, Indonesia for a 3-day state visit aimed at boosting economic cooperation with the world's fourth-populous nation rich in energy and resource.

- Any revision or deletion of the 2007 inter-Korean summit transcript occurred while former president Roh Moo-Hyun was in office, state prosecutors said, a finding that could re-kindle political wrangling over who gave such an order.

- Bank of Korea raised its outlook for the current account surplus this year to 63 billion US dollars, up 10 billion from its July estimate.

Let's Do The News! (October 10, 2013)

The big science tonight or today or this morning...

- Never mind about that upcoming Hyundai Maxcruz (Santa Fe LWB) Zombie Survival Machine made by a lucky Walking Dead fan for this week's NY Comic Con, ATOY CUSTOMS made one of their own zombie survival machine using the, yes you guessed it, Hyundai Tucson iX as the basis.

Photo courtesy of Top Gear PH Facebook page

- When it comes to Liam Neeson taking action thrillers a bit seriously since the two TAKEN movies, there's more thrills in store for him because Warner Bros. begin filming for his next thriller movie, Run All Night.

- US Government Shutdown is now on Day 9.

- Libya’s Prime Minister Ali Zeidan has been abducted in Tripoli

- BIR is filing a tax evasion case against Jeane Napoles, the daughter of the infamous "pork barrel queen" Janet Lim-Napoles, who is accused of colluding with lawmakers over the pork barrel scam.

- #STARBUCKSDRAKEHANDS, now a trending meme.

- The post-apocalyptic teleserye, Genesis, starring Dingdong Dantes, Rhian Ramos, and Ms. Lorna Tolentino, along with TJ Trinidad, Jackie Lou Blanco, Ronnie Henares, Carlo Gonzales, Luanne Dy, Betong, and many others, premieres October 14, 2013 on GMA. It's directed by Joyce Bernal and Mark Reyes and written by Aloy Adlawan.

- In an effort to reduce smog, Beijing shuts down most highways and airports.

- Top Gear PH reports that there's going to be an Indian carmaker to land on Philippine soil and that Indian carmaker is none other than Tata Motors. Pilipinas Taj Autogroup is the distributor of Tata Motors in the Philippines and reports say, it will arrive next year.

- The all new 2014 Lexus IS is officially named Esquire Car of the Year.

2014 Lexus IS

- 2014 Opel/Vauxhall Meriva facelift announced with the addition of a new 134HP 1.6L diesel engine that provides fuel economy of 22.7km/L and a 0-100kph time of over nine seconds.

2014 Opel Meriva

TTFN!!!

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: The story so far (10/9/13)

The story so far from the Korean Peninsula:

- Koreans celebrate the 567th anniversary of the Hangul, the Korean alphabet proclaimed by King Sejong the Great back in the mid-15th century.

- South Korean president Park Geun-Hye, who arrived in Brunei on Tuesday on the second leg of her ASEAN trip, took part in the Korea-ASEAN summit this Wednesday.

- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently visited a military-run livestock breeding station.

The Geekdom's Guide to Bacon Pancakes

Making Bacon Pancakes

Most of the Adventure Time fanatics will remember one sure fire thing that goes stuck in their cerebral cortex and yes, you guessed it, BACON PANCAKES. That kind of thing Jake the Dog cooks in one episode of the show.

♪Bacon pancakes, makin bacon pancakes. Take some bacon and I'll put it in a pancake. Bacon pancakes, that's what it's gonna make...BACON PANCAKES!!!♪

Yes you got that right, find some bacon and a pancake mix at your nearest supermarket. Tell your parents to add those to their grocery shopping list if they have enough grocery allowance. Question is how will you going to make the most mathematical breakfast known to AT fans? Well, you may have followed the directions on making a pancake courtesy of the pancake mix's cooking instructions and then cooking up the bacon but sadly, we're a bit unsure about the whole Bacon Pancake serving...but never mind.

Since you're done with the bacons and pancakes, feel free to stack them like a sandwich. Don't care which. There are so many variations of bacon pancakes, especially the one where slices of bacon are inside the pancakes. Feel free to do some research on the internet and experiment with different variations of the most mathematical breakfast known to AT fans and in no time, you'll thank Jake The Dog for this...

♪Bacon pancakes, makin bacon pancakes. Take some bacon and I'll put it in a pancake. Bacon pancakes, that's what it's gonna make...BACON PANCAKES!!!♪

The Geekdom's Guide to Bacon Pancakes.

Let's Do The News! (October 9, 2013)

The big science tonight or today or this morning if you woke up this morning...

- US Government Shutdown now in Day 8 and US President Barack Obama stepped up pressure on Republicans as he warned against the consequences of a possible debt default and called for an end to the federal shutdown, saying he would not let the government be held “ransom”. He also said that he told Republican Speaker John Boehner in a phone call that he's willing to negotiate but not under threats of defaults and continuing the shutdown.

- Swiss-based game developer Gameloft announces GT Racing 2, the sequel to the hit GT Racing game developed in partnership with Mercedes-Benz. Featuring 67 cars and numerous real-world tracks, the new game will surely become more addicting than ever. It will hit this fall on iOS and Android for free with in-game app purchases.

GT Racing 2

- New on PS3's iM@S CHANNEL's SHINY TV game is Mini Album 03: Mystic, a Takane Shijou-dedicated DLC pack for THE iDOLM@STER SHINY TV game. Like the first two mini albums for SHINY TV, it costs 1,500 Japanese Yen.

- 2014 is the Year of the Horse, and according to some feng shui experts, the year 2014 is not the ideal time to get into relationship, tie the know, invest or start a new business. Go with the flow is the best time for the year 2014.

- According to an NHK TV Program, there's a new Pikachu-dedicated game from The Pokemon Company is in the works. Yes, Pikachu is one of the most famous Pokemons ever featured since the game, the anime series, the merchandise, yes, yes, whatever. Don't worry folks, no matter which version, especially when you're saving up for the latest Pokemon X and Y versions for the 3DS, Pikachu is always here to stay and always with us. There's even those Pikachu-dedicated games such as N64's Hey You, Pikachu, Gamecube's Pokemon Channel, and many other Pikachu-dedicated games in the past.

Pikachu

- Is our AT fandom a little bit more flammable? Jessica DiCicco, the CV behind our favorite flammable Adventure Time character, Flame Princess, will be on this week's 2013 New York Comic Con!

- Season 2 of Cartoon Hangover's Bravest Warriors web cartoon premieres October 17 but if you need a bit of an itch for catch-up of if you're new to the BW craze, fear not because all Season One episodes are rolled up into one video courtesy of Cartoon Hangover for you to watch.

- Trivia: During the course of the first season of Bravest Warriors, there are 13,537,384 unique visitors watching the whole season. Yes, over 13 million bravest fans can't be wrong.

- One of the producers of BBC's Doctor Who, Marcus Wilson, twitted that they've finished filming the 2013 Christmas Special, which signals the end of The Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith.

- Meanwhile, Matt Smith will be playing the role of a killer named Patrick Bateman in a London stage musical adaptation of American Psycho, presented at Almeida Theater from December 3, 2013 to January 25, 2014.

TTFN!

What's in our Car Town garage today? (October 9, 2013)

What's in our Car Town garage today?

1936 Toyota AA

One of the most notable pre-WWII Toyotas ever made, the AA features design inspired from the Chrysler Airflow and it comes with the large 3.3L engine which develops 62hp. Although not quite as powerful by modern standards for such a big engine, revisiting nostalgia for this car is one thing that you are willing to know more about the world of Toyota. Produced from 1936 to 1943, Toyota produces 1400 units of AA during its tenure.

1936 Toyota AA

1984 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser

Off-road enthusiasts often agree that the FJ40-spec Land Cruiser is one of the best off-roaders ever made due to its rough and tough personality and a big engine that propels this offroader through tarmac, gravel, snow, and other rough surfaces no other modern-day offroaders come close. What interests everyone the most that the FJ40 Land Cruiser lasted through 2001 even though it was sold in Brazil as the Bandeirante. Oh yeah, if you're a Top Gear fanatic, you might be familiar to this Toyota offroader as Richard Hammond's offroader of choice in the Bolivia Special in Christmas 2009. Sadly, this Toyota met its climactic end when it got rolled over through one of the most terrifying slopes in Bolivia.

1984 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser

2011 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera

Unveiled in 2010, the Superleggera version is the top of the line version of the Gallardo LP560-4. Although it comes with the same V10 engine as the original but it sees a 10ps increase, making the power output of the 5.2L V10 engine develops 570PS of power. True to its name, the Superleggera lost 70kg of weight, resulting to a 0-60 time of 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 202mph.

2011 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera

Shake iT Up: I ♥ Dance

Shake iT Up: I ♥ Dance

If you're an avid Disney fanatic, then you are just one of the many who enjoyed the hit teen comedy series Shake iT Up! It's the show where rising stars Bella Thorne and Zendaya played roles as CeCe Jones and Rocky Blue, two teenage girls who are part of the Shake It Up Chicago variety show and every week, the girls are into some sorts of troubles to deal with from school life, their careers as dancers on a variety show, and other stuff.

With the third season still shaking things up for our favorite gals CeCe and Rocky, the third volume of the Shake iT Up! soundtrack does make you wanna shake it up even further. Soundtrack #3 is titled I ♥ DANCE and like the title itself, it really is the third volume of the Shake iT Up! soundtracks and for this volume, expect the latest song from Bella and Zendaya titled Contagious Love, which is the main attraction for this latest soundtrack but that's just the tip of the iceberg because for this soundtrack, there are 12 new songs offered, more than enough when you want to have fun it up, mingle it up, stir it up, funk it up, when you want...it up. Sorry, pun intended.

Also on the soundtrack is the Cole Plante Reboot Remix version of the theme song performed by Selena Gomez as well as the Alex Ghenea 3.0 Remix of We're Dancing sung by Good Luck Charlie's Bridgit Mendler.

TRACK LISTINGS:

1) Contagious Love
2) This Is My Dance Floor
3) Beat of My Drum
4) Blow the System
5) Afterparty
6) Holla At the DJ (The DJ Mike D Remix)
7) These Boots Are Made for Walkin'
8) Sharp as a Razor
9) Future Sounds Like Us
10) I Can Do Better
11) Shake It Up Theme Song (Cole Plante Reboot Remix)
12) We're Dancing (Alex Ghenea 3.0 Remix)

Available at iTunes, Amazon.com

Let's Do The News! (October 8, 2013)

The big science today or tonight or this morning when you woke up in the morning...

- It's already Week 2 of the US Government Shutdown and US President Barack Obama called on Congress to reopen government immediately and raise the debt limit while he was in FEMA. Be warned though, the debt ceiling deadline is on October 17, 2013 or else it's default, sparking fears for the economy or worse, might happen the same thing again since the Global Financial Crisis of Fall 2008.

- The United States launched a new $100 bill that comes with a new color as well as special features to prevent counterfeiting.

- Mitsubishi Motors teases three PHEV concepts for November's 2013 Tokyo Motor Show. They will be showcasing the GC-PHEV which is a next-generation full SUV, the XR-PHEV which is a next generation compact SUV, and the AR-PHEV which is a next generation MPV complete with the use of a downsized direct-injection turbocharged engine, signaling Mitsubishi's return to GDi engine roots ever since they stopped making those in 2007.

Mitsubishi teases PHEV concepts for Tokyo
Motor Show 2013

- Wave hello to the brand new 2015 Cadillac Escalade, the full-size SUV favored by hip-hop artists is now made even more "bling bling bang".

2015 Cadillac Escalade

- A new Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs, an organization notorious in the fight against smuggled cars, has been named and former AFP Chief of Staff Jessie Dellosa is officially the Deputy Commissioner, promised to rid the roster of accredited traders and import consignees of dummies or fronts for smugglers.

- The Rally of France signals the final WRC race for Sebastien Loeb, the rally legend who scored 9 WRC wins on the trot and he's a do-it-all because not only rally comes in his mind, he took the 208 T16 to shatter the Pikes Peak record, and he's going to be in the seat of a Citroen touring car in next year's WTCC. On Loeb's final WRC race...he crashed. The DS3 rally car crashed but he and his co-driver Daniel Elena survived.

- The Fast and the Furious staff wants one lucky fan to be part in the next movie. The crew posted on their social media site:

"Want a chance to star in the next Fast & Furious? Follow @FastandFuriousMovie on Instagram and upload a video telling us why you should be the next member of the Fast Family. Hashtag your video with #UltimateFastFan!"

TTFN!

SYRIA UPRISING: US credits Syria for chemical weapons 'compliance'

US Secretary of State John Kerry lauded Syria's compliance with the UN resolution calling to destroy the country's chemical weapons arsenal. He also said that Syria gave credit to the Damascus regime that it moved quickly to eliminate the banned weapons. Kerry told reporters along side Russian Foreign Minister Sergei LAvrov on the sidelines of an APEC summit in Indonesia.

Story: FRANCE24