STEADY TRENDs

"In Pictures" News Sites

2010-08-01T23:23:00.002-04:00

Here are 9 news sites that contain a daily picture gallery. Because a picture is worth a thousand words, and reading is so 2.0.

Reuters 24H

BBC Week In Pictures

Globe and Mail In Pictures

Pixcetera Top New Photos

CBC News Photo Galleries

Yahoo! News World Photos

Time's Pictures of the Week

Washington Post In Pictures

National Geographic Daily News Photography

Enjoy!

via http://steadytrends.blogspot.com

Culture Jamming: The "YES MEN" Fix the World

2010-07-29T19:08:00.001-04:00

I just watched the documentary "The Yes Men Fix The World" and it was funny, informative and probably one of the top documentaries of the year. The duo impersonates big business representatives and call press conferences. Hilarity and hard truth ensues. The power that be are currently suing them for many things so I just hope for the best for everyone.
Remember the fake New York Times newspaper? War is over!

You will cry when you see the people's faces responding to the paper. You will laugh when you see how they managed to pull off a fake Halliburton press conference (showcasing protective bubbles intended for humans).

Triple digit Pitchers in 2010: Pitchers who can throw 100 mph fastballs

2010-07-27T19:33:00.001-04:00

Ubaldo "Blubalbo" Jimenez

Team: Colorado Rockies
Notes: No-hitter vs Braves on April 17, 2010
MLB / Upcoming Starts / Stats

Brian "The Baseball Player" Wilson

Team: San Francisco Giants
Notes: Occasional crazy four seamer near or at 100 mph
MLB / Upcoming Starts / Stats

Joel "The Flame" Zumaya

Team: Detroit Tigers
Notes: Injured often
MLB / Upcoming Starts / Stats

"With his team clinging to a 4-3 lead and desperate for a victory, (Joel) Zumaya plowed through the thickest part of the Yankees' lineup to help preserve a Game 2 victory. Zumaya did it with a bloodshot right eye — 'it's just allergies,' he said — and the Yankees probably couldn't see that, but goodness, would you want to face a guy with blood in his right eye, a flame tattoo on his left forearm and a 103-m.p.h. fastball in his arsenal? Probably not." - Columnist Michael Rosenberg in the Detroit Free Press (Pumped up, 10/06/2006)

Jonathan Broxton

Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
Notes: 300 pounds of baseball
MLB / Upcoming Starts / Stats

Neftali "Happy" Feliz

Team: Texas Rangers
Notes: 22 year old consistently reaching upper 90s
MLB / Upcoming Starts / Stats

A.J. Burnett

Team: New York Yankees
Notes: No-hitter vs Padres on May 12, 2001
MLB / Upcoming Starts / Stats

Tim "The Franchise" Lincecum

Team: San Francisco Giants
Notes: 95 mph starter
MLB / Upcoming Starts / Stats

"That [fourth inning] was just a little blip on the radar there," Berkman said. "He's got as good of stuff as I've ever seen. ... He's got three almost unhittable pitches. - Lance Berkman (MLB.com, 05/15/08)

Andrew Cashner

Team: Chicago Cubs
Notes: 96 mph starter
MLB / Upcoming Starts / Stats

Stephen Strasburg

Team: Washington Nationals
Notes: 14k in MLB debut
MLB / Upcoming Starts / Stats

"most hyped and closely watched pitching prospect in the history of baseball" - SI (05/18/2010)

Brandon "Not the hockey player" Morrow

Team: Toronto Blue Jays
Notes: A bit wild
MLB / Upcoming Starts / Stats

////

images from wikipedia, some sources:
http://www.efastball.com/baseball/stats/fastest-pitch-speed-in-major-leagues/
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/articles/fastest-pitcher-in-baseball.shtml

Eminem is Space Bound, going through Changes, and well on his way to Recovery.

2010-07-25T22:23:00.015-04:00

The 37-year-old American rapper Marshall Mathers has released his latest album entitled Recovery [Explicit]. Simply put: Killer bridges, shady hooks and %$^!#&* melodies. Honest inspirational lyrics. Without a doubt undoubtedly.

In this album the singer displays a maturing character (he sings less about killing people and more about killing problems) yet maintains and arguably enhances the lyrical/vocal fury he so passionately displayed in his first albums. Only now he has Rihanna and Pink doing the interludes. Nice!

Tracks include Space Bound, Going Through Changes, and the climactic I'm Not Afraid. Here is a sample of lyrics:

from Talkin' to Myself.............................................

I just want to thank everybody for being so patient

And bearing with me over these last couple of years

While I figure this sh-t out

from Not Afraid.........................................

So I pick up myself off the ground and f-ckin swam before I drowned

Hit my bottom so hard I bounce twice suffice this time around

It's different them last two albums didn't count

Encore I was on drugs, Relapse I was flushing em out

I've come up to make it up to you no more fucking around

I've got something to prove to fans I feel like I let em down

So please accept my apology I finally feel like I'm back to normal

I guess I had to, go to that place, to get to this one

Now some of you, might still be in that place

If you're trying to get out, just follow me

I'll get you there

You could try and read my lyrics off of this paper before I lay 'em

But you won't take the sting out these words before I say 'em

...

It's a game called circle and I don't know how, I'm way too up to back down

But I think I'm still tryin to figure this crap out

Thought I had it mapped out but I guess I didn't, this fuckin black cloud

still follows, me around but it's time to exorcise these demons

These muh'fuckers are doin jumpin jacks now

...

It was my decision to get clean, I did it for me

Admittedly, I probably did it subliminally

...

What?
Who?

--------------------

Content that makes you wonder: Top 7 conspiracy web sites

2008-07-06T01:24:00.002-04:00

Ever get bored of talking about the weather? Wished you could find some inspiration to conclude your science fiction novel? Here is my Top 7 conspiracy web sites, in no particular order, but perhaps influenced by the amount of time I have spent on them in the last year. In the end I didn’t lose my mind. Actually I learned to discern a bit better. If you decide to surf on the following sites be aware

Above Top Secret . com

The reference, the talkers, the authority, the mainstream, the avatars, the stage, the secret room for elite members, the three amigos - This site has it all. Beware; there is a lot of crazy information on this site.

God Like Productions . com

The most free-for-all forum on the Internet. You might find a needle in this immense haystack. Some of these post titles truly make you wonder about people's sanity.

Stop Lying .ca

This site claims to be exposing some massive conspiracy against the populace. As with everything mentioned in this site, I suggest reading, as the expression goes, with a grain of salt.

Unexplainable . net

Many categories, many articles ranging from astral projection, spirit, telepathy etc. It's probably unexplainable for a reason.

India Daily . com

You’ll begin to think the articles posted in the technology section are from robots that are from outer space. Certainly not from the west, as it’s name implies! Most of the articles revolve around 2012, a scientific approach towards extra and interplanetary civilizations, quantum states, advanced technologies, the works. They call themselves a daily?

Free Press International

A popular one. Usually the article consists of a short sentence. Minimalist journalism trying to impact.

V-Logging The Apocalypse

What’s in a name? Truly this site intends to make the reader feel like the end of the world is right next-door. The categorized videos send shivers down your spine. Just kidding.

Enjoy!

Do Canadians drink too much of the same beer?

2008-07-05T16:00:00.004-04:00

There are hundreds of different beers available in Canada. Yet, somehow I keep hearing the same beers ordered over and over at local bars. An easy top 5 would look like this:

1. Alexander Keith’s
2. Labatt Blue
3. Molson Canadian
4. Sleeman Etc
5. Moosehead

An honorable mention could go to Heineken, Budweiser or Carling. But do we really know what is going on in Canada’s beer industry? We seem to think it’s still the same old blue vs. red fight going on between Labatt and Molson. But an interesting publication on EuroMonitor reads:

With the buyout of Sleeman’s in 2006, Canada’s beer production is firmly in the hands of foreign multinationals. By the end of 2006, nearly 90% of beer sales was from non-domestic producers. This has resulted in a distinct decline in made-in-Canada products in the mass market, and a stronger emphasis on foreign, world-spanning brands, such as Stella Artois, Heineken, Budweiser, Brahma and Coors Light. Canadians appear to be thoroughly unconcerned about the decline of the home-grown brewing industry, and have even pushed US brews Budweiser and Coors Light to the top of the sales chart. Perhaps as a reaction to this, and due to beneficial legislation, made-in-Canada beers have been rising in sales in the premium segment, and although sales are limited, consumers are growing more appreciative of microbrews and local beers.

In that perspective, Canadian beer buyers are buying a lot beer (8.4 Billions worth in 2005) but mostly from foreign breweries. Sleeman’s alone holds a near 90% market share in Ontario through the province’s LCBO. They say the clear bottles let the sun shine through. It’s obvious beer drinkers love their beer, and get used to their favorites, but it’s also true that variety is the spice of life.

So when was the last time you had an Ice Beer? Salivating no? Did you know Budweiser is made with a little rice? Perhaps we need to give a little helping hand to our local industry by acquiring a little bit more knowledge on the origins and the variety of beers available. Know thy beers. Try local breweries, or make your own brew!

Resources and links:

Rate A Beer's Worst Beers
Rate A Beer's Top 100 in 2008
Beer industry in Canada
Canadian beer and alcohol statistics
Canadian Beers on Wikipedia
I'm not from here, what is beer?
History of Beer
Great Canadian Beer Festival
Article: Facing the brave new world of beer

Hancock: Alcohol makes you fly, so redeem yourself and save Mary

2008-07-05T11:43:00.008-04:00

In top stories today, Will Smith is Hancock. He’s unhappy, but probably due to the hangovers he gets from drinking hard liquor all movie long.

Blockbusters featuring an alcoholic superhero are hard to come by. And I always loved Will Smith movies. With that said, I was really anxious to see Hancock, particularly since his remarkable performance as Fresh Prince in I Am Legend. This time around, Will Smith incarnates a depressed Fresh Prince with superpowers such as invincibility and the ability to fly like Superman. Or in Hancock’s sarcastic tone: Some hanging wires and a good camera. Finally an ungreatful Superman?

Here is a plot exerpt from Wikipedia:

Later that night, while Ray sleeps after passing out from drinking too much, Hancock discovers that Mary too has super powers. Mary reveals that they are members of an ancient race and are at least 3000 years old. The race eventually died out because of their weakness which causes its members to lose their powers when in close proximity to one another. Members of this race were created in pairs, and are inevitably drawn towards each other; she is Hancock's "other half".

Very interesting stuff indeed! He’s a cool drunk superhero, not to be confused with James Lahey, a drunk cop in The Trailor Park Boys. They both drink on screen, but only one saves lives. See Will Smith talk about drunk superheroes at BlinkX.

His only weekness is no surprise: A beautiful woman. Oh how I relate. Exept for the drinking… and the Superhero. Thank you Will Smith, Vincent Ngo, Perter Berg! Keep the superhero movies coming!

Links:
Official Will Smith home page
Hancock Trailer