The warm sun, the smell of fresh cut grass, peanuts, popcorn, and hot dogs, the crack of the bat. Baseball season is upon us. Perhaps you can’t get to the ball park, but you can still get ready to cheer on your favorite team. The Pursuitist has assembled this checklist of must-haves for baseball fans.

Cracker Jack
No snack is more synonymous with baseball than Crack Jack. Get a box. Or five. Break them open and enjoy.

Personalized Baseball Bat
Search online and you’ll find various companies that personalize baseball bats. Or go to a game. Most parks will personalize a bat right there (although expect to pay more).

MLB.TV
Enjoy almost every baseball game via MLB.TV using your computer, tablet or television. The only downside to MLB.TV is that you can’t watch games in your own market (since the local TV stations are paying millions for that privilege). But if you are a baseball junkie, or your favorite team isn’t in your area, MLB.TV is perfect for you.

Bratwurst
Some will say hotdogs are the meat of the ball park, but midwest baseball fans know nothing is better than a beer-soaked Bratwurst.

Jersey of your favorite team
You can’t celebrate opening day without a jersey of your favorite team. MLB.com has a wide variety of options for both men and women. Well OK so she’s not actually wearing a team Jersey but she is Victoria’s Secret Angel Candice Swanepoel.

Play ball!

As the UK prepared to go ‘into darkness’ for WWF’s Earth Hour held in the UK this evening, Paramount Pictures is pleased to announce its support with a special ‘Star Trek’ themed light display. This amazing light show by Paramount, in conjunction with Ars Electonica Futurelab & Ascending Technologies, saw quadrocopters fly into the night sky, forming the Star Trek federation logo beside Tower Bridge on a scale never seen before.

The event coincided with WWF’s Earth Hour at 8:30 pm. Along with key landmarks such as Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and The London Eye going dark, the quadrocopters turned off their glow in support of Earth Hour. To signal the end of Earth Hour at 9:30 pm the quadrocopters reformed the Star Trek logo above London’s skyline.

We’re really excited about Star Trek are you? Let us know your thoughts below.

R U Faster Than a Redneck is back with an all-new episode tonight at 9pm on SPEED! This show pits American muscle against foreign imports. Comedian Jon Reep, and his redneck crew are ready to take on all challengers in this down-home derby to determine once and for all if domestic is better than imported.

On tonight’s episode, the rednecks bring a powerful lineup that includes a 1972 Dodge Charger, a 1967 Chevy Atomic Camaro, and 1967 Ford Bullitt Mustang. The imports are small but speedy as they bring a 200 Honda S2000 and a 2001 Audi Wagon.

You thought the Hatfields & McCoys hated each other? SPEED’s new series, R U Faster than a Redneck? takes on one of the longest- standing rivalries in automotive lore – domestic versus import. And if history is any indication, it could get ugly out there.

The first eight episodes have been ordered, and the show is set to premiere Feb. 22 at 10 p.m. ET, following live coverage of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race from Daytona before settling into its regular time slot, Mondays at 9 p.m. ET.

From the producers of American Trucker, Hot Rod TV, Overhaulin’ and Livin’ the Low Life, R U Faster than a Redneck? is hosted by Last Comic Standing Season 5 winner Jon Reep. The show’s unique format offers some of the country’s best grassroots import racers an opportunity to take on equally-timed, high-performance American muscle. The show is shot at Carolina Motor Sports Park in Kershaw, S.C., with legendary NASCAR play-by-play announcer Ken Squier calling all the action alongside Reep.

            “This program takes the stereotype of the classic Southern ‘redneck’ and turns it inside out,” said Robert Ecker, SPEED VP of Programming & Executive Producer. “These are multi-layered guys that hold their lifestyle near and dear, and that extends all the way to defending their beloved American muscle cars against all foreign makes and models. There’s a lot of fun and hijinks along the way, but once cars hit the track, the competition is real; everyone is in it to win it.”

At the core of the show is an almost timeless battle that has raged throughout the ages, affectionately referred to as ‘rednecks’ versus the ‘punks.’ In this format, the ‘redneck’ team puts up $10,000 against any import ‘punk’ that can defeat them and their souped-up vehicles.

“The concept goes all the way back to the early turn of the century in 1904, and an automotive event called the Vanderbilt Cup, which was (originally) held in Long Island, New York,” said Bud Brutsman, Executive Producer. “They put up money to see how the American car companies would stack up against their European counterparts. We’ve put together a similar competition.

The Esquire Network says it’s ready for prime time. The new network, announced today, aims to “capture the essence of the magazine,” David Carey, president of Esquire publisher Hearst Magazines, told The New York Times. “This is not the magazine on TV; that would not work.”

The male audience is an ever-sweet spot for brands, as evidenced by offerings that vary from Spike TV to Discovery’s Velocity Channel. The Esquire Network will replace the Comcast-created G4 video gaming channel (which gave Esquire fave Olivia Munn her start as co-host on Attack of the Show) on April 22, and be available in 62 million homes with cable or satellite service.

The rebranded network is a strategic partnership between NBC Universal and Hearst Magazines. NBCUniversal cable executive Bonnie Hammer positioned it as “an upscale Bravo for men.” She added, “If this was going to come under my portfolio, I’m a little brand crazy, so I said, let’s create a real brand, define a space, understand who we are programming for.”

Expanding on the magazine’s forays into video programming withEsquire TV online, The Esquire Network will offer shows about cars, politics, world affairs, travel, fashion, politics, and yes, cooking, with an early contender titled “Knife Fight” — a reality competition between younger chefs in “after-hours cook-offs,” executive produced by Drew Barrymore, Flower Films and Authentic Entertainment and hosted by Top Chef winner Ilan Hall.

A second original series, The Getaway, features celebrities traveling to their favorite locales and is executive produced by Anthony Bourdain and Zero Point Zero.

Linda Yaccarino, President of ad sales at NBCUniversal, added: “Esquire Network will give advertisers access to one of the most coveted and untapped audiences in the cable entertainment marketplace – the upwardly mobile, educated and highly-engaged man. We are already in talks with key clients and developing fully integrated opportunities for them to align their brands with this elusive, hard to reach demo.”

“There is a vastly under-served audience in cable TV – today’s modern man – and by joining forces with Esquire, we will deliver a multi-platform experience to this upscale, engaged, passionate audience, one that widens the aperture beyond G4’s technology and gaming base,” G4 and now Esquire Network general manager Adam Stotsky stated in NBCU’s press release. “Esquire magazine brings 80 years of unparalleled insight into what makes men tick, and we will incorporate the best of this iconic brand to produce original shows that build the network for growth and success.”

David Granger, Esquire’s editor in chief, says the programming will not be “not duplicative of what readers find in the magazine, but in the same wheelhouse,” reports The Times, and until further series are greenlighted, acquired programming from NBCUniversal’s library will fill out the schedule at launch. (The network has already licensed Parks & Recreation and Party Down.)

While reaction by G4 fans on Facebook was mostly negative, Granger said Esquire had successfully made the move from print to digital, increasing circulation to nearly 725,000 monthly as of December. Hearst, meanwhile, is no stranger to the cable TV space. The media conglomerate owns stakes in Lifetime, A&E, History and ESPN networks in partnership with NBCU and Disney-ABC.

“In a way, everybody wins,” notes The Atlantic. “Sophisticated men get a new TV-watching solution. NBC Universal gets a hip brand that helps them target sophisticated (read: affluent) TV-watching men. And Hearst gets to expand its empire.”

Speaking of expansion, all of Hearst Digital Media‘s titles will berefreshed via “a new publishing platform, which incorporates both responsive design and personalization,” TechCrunch reported, adding: “It’s an increasingly popular strategy for companies to adapt to mobile by creating websites that rearrange themselves based on the size of the screen.”

“That’s something marketers understand,” Tom Smith, Hearst’s VP technology and strategy told TechCrunch. “We’re not trying to turn editors into marketers. It’s saying, ‘How do you let them take this capability and express themselves more?’”

First in line are RoadandTrack.com and TownandCountryMag.com.

Ironically as Hearst moves further into digital, The Verge — a website “covering the intersection of technology, science, art, and culture” — says it’s considering a print edition.

“It’s something we’ve talked about quite a bit and something we have seriously looked into (and continue to look into),” says editor-in-chief Joshua Topolsky, the former Engadget editor who launched the site in 2011.

 via BC

Join Director Ron Howard and star Warwick Davis for an exclusive Artist to Artist Twitter chat in celebration of the 25^th anniversary of Willow! Fans can even join in the conversation by tweeting questions using the hashtag #WillowChat.

In celebration of its 25^th anniversary, the unforgettable classic, Willow, has been fully digitally restored and debuts on Blu-ray and DVD Combo Pack March 12, 2013 from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

The Willow Blu-ray and DVD include a dazzling array of extras with never-before-seen exclusive content such as deleted scenes with remarks from Ron Howard, a personal video diary of Warwick Davis, matte paintings and much more. In addition, look out for Ron Howard’s new introduction for the original 1988 featurette “The Making of an Adventure,” as well as special effect legend Dennis Muren’s new intro to his piece, “From Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Filmmaking.”

The chat will take place today on Twitter at 2:00pm – 2:30pm (PST)

Connect with them on Twitter here Director, Ron Howard – @RealRonHoward
Actor, Warwick Davis – @WarwickADavis

As the deep freeze spreads across Europe, one country that is embracing the cooler weather is The Netherlands. With temperatures dropping to around -7 degrees Celsius (19 degrees Fahrenheit) earlier this week, many of Amsterdam’s iconic canals have frozen over, allowing residents and tourists to skate the city’s famed waterways. Popular canals such as Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht and Brouwersgracht have all frozen enough for people to skate on.

While skating on frozen canals is an annual occurrence for cities like Ottawa in Canada (on the Rideau Canal), it is a rarity in places like Amsterdam. So when the temperatures are right, the people flood to the ice.

The Dutch are optimistic that the temperatures may stay cold enough for the famous “Eleven Cities” aka “Elfstedentocht” speed skating race to occur. The last time the weather was cold enough for the race to happen was 15 years ago in 1997!

Elfstedentocht is the world’s largest speed skating competition and leisure skating tour at almost 200 km in length (124-miles). It is held in the province of Friesland, Netherlands and only happens when the entire course is at least 15cm thick. Approximately 15,000 participants took part in the last race. [Source: Wikipedia]

Oh man, Tony Stark is getting ready to kick some serious ass. Are you ready for Iron Man 3? The $200 million epic hits theaters on May 3rd, and if this latest look at the flick doesn’t get you excited, nothing will. This time around, Tony (Robert Downey Jr.) wrestles with some inner demons, faces a new villain named The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) and unleashes a team of Iron Men to help him save the world.

Watch the full madness unfold right after the jump:

From the trailer, the film’s aesthetic looks grittier than the previous Iron Man outings. In particular, we’ll be paying special attention to the film’s visual effects, since this is the first movie in the series produced without the help of Industrial Light and Magic. We’ll see if the five VFX companies that worked on it can keep up with that legendary powerhouse—so far, it certainly looks like they have. The film will also be the largest Dolby Atmos release to date—it’ll hit using the new immersive theater sound in 450 theaters across the world.

But you know what? Forget all that for now. Just sit back and enjoy Iron Man getting his ass kicked, kicking ass right back, and everything in between.

,

The Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Golf & Spa Resort in Los Cabos has announced their plans to host their first Cheese & Wine Festival with part of the proceeds benefitting local boys’ home, Casa Hogar. On March 9, 2013, participants will have the opportunity to indulge in an unlimited amount of wine, bread, and cheese from 14 different cheese and wine vendors for 19 continuous hours. Tickets for the Cheese & Wine Festival are $399 Mexican Pesos per person, or roughly $32 USD.

“We’re extremely excited to be able to entertain our guests with memorable, delicious food festivals all while giving back to our local community,” said General Manager of the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar, Renato Mendonca. “We’ve worked with Casa Hogar, the local boys’ home, for many years now, so to continue to try to make the lives of over 35 homeless boys a little brighter any way we can is what we aim for.”

The Sheraton Hacienda del Mar has recently focused their energy on creating events that benefit the local community while also allowing guests to experience memorable gastronomic events.

Along with partnering with Casa Hogar for festivals and benefits, the resort recently began an internship program where the graduating boys of Casa Hogar are able to gain real world experience in the safe environment that the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar provides. In addition to these partnerships and learning programs, the resort regularly holds a bi-monthly collection and donation of goods such as groceries, clothing, toiletries, school supplies and toys, as well as provides monthly visits from the Cactus Spa staff to cut the children’s hair. Sheraton Hacienda del Mar has also implemented a program to encourage meeting groups that stay at the resort to make a difference in Casa Hogar residents’ lives by donating time, money or in-kind goods to the organization.

For more information on the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Golf & Spa Resort or to find out more about the Cheese & Wine Festival on March 9, 2013, please call 52-624-145-8000 or visit www.sheratonloscabos.com. For more information about Casa Hogar, please visit casahogarcabo.com

This interesting capture by Redditor Willyyz shows the after-effects of a flood that had passed through this forested area near Bishop’s University in Lennoxville, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada.

At first I thought it may have been a reflection but then realized it was snow on top of thin sheets of ice about half-way up the trees; the only remnants after the water had receded. It kind of reminds me of the fungus that grows outwardly from trees. To see a larger version of the image, click here.

The day has come.  Skullcandy presents: Kate Upton, Stevie Johnson, Big Boi and Army of TWO in “Take a Supermodel to Work” Episode 2.  For behind the scenes photos from the video, scroll to the gallery at the bottom.  Enjoy.

Skullcandy is taking two-time Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover girl Kate Upton to work again for Episode 2 of its Take a Supermodel to Work web series. Upton, who just this week was unveiled as the reigning queen on the 2013 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover for the second year in a row, joins Def Jam recording artist Big Boi and NFL wide receiver Stevie Johnson in the recording studio to put her rhyming skills to the test.

On the heels of Upton’s second cover reveal, the Sports Illustrated “it girl” wants to show the world she’s more than just a pretty face—unleashing some impressive skills behind the mic—and schooling both Big Boi and Stevie Johnson in a video game battle to close out her session—to promote Skullcandy’s new collection of headphones and its partnership with Electronic Arts (EA). The video teases the launch of the highly anticipated EA game Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel.

Like you, we never get tired of Kate Upton.  Luckily for us, she is once again going to work.  Join her as she heads into the studio with Big Boi of Outkast fame as well as Skullcandy athlete, Stevie Johnson.  And while you’re at it, peep the footage of Army of TWO: Devil’s Cartel.  The two teasers are below.  Scroll to the bottom for the photo gallery.

Skullcandy is a global designer, marketer and distributor of performance audio and gaming headphones and other accessory related products under the Skullcandy, Astro Gaming and 2XL by Skullcandy brands. Skullcandy became one of the world’s most distinct audio brands by bringing color, character and performance to an otherwise monochromatic space; helping to revolutionize the audio arena by introducing headphones, earbuds and other audio and wireless lifestyle products that possess unmistakable style and exceptional performance. The Company’s products are sold and distributed through a variety of channels in the U.S. and approximately 80 countries worldwide.  Visit skullcandy.com, or join them at facebook.com/skullcandy or on Twitter @skullcandy.

This is the same studio we shot Rapper Warren G for our September 2009 issue!