We get sent a lot of infographics so not all make the cut and land on the blog. However, when your infographic gives us tips on how to recreate some of Top Gear’s great cinematic moments from the episode in which the boys searched for Europe’s greatest driving road, you’re likely to get featured on the blog. The folks over at Select Car Leasing put together a look at some great driving roads in France, Italy, Germany and Norway in a handy infographic.
Top Gear
Chris Evans vs. Jeremy Clarkson: The Infographic
We’re still some months before we see an episode of new old Top Gear and the untitled Clarkson, Hammond and May project but there is still scads of excitement over them. Well, at least, there’s excitement over Amazon throwing millions of dollars at Clarkson, Hammond and May. Given the massive cast at Top Gear led by Chris Evans, Matt LeBlanc, a lot of fans are worried about Top Gear reverting to a format that saw it cancelled before Clarkson and Andy Wilman rescued it in the format watched by over 350 million people worldwide. That’s not to say that Top Gear is as good as dead in Evans’s hands.
Our friends at Car Leasing Made Simple made a handy little infographic comparing the incoming host of Top Gear to its outgoing leader. Spoilers: They both have pretty good credentials.
The Best Top Gear Infographic… In The World
We’re just a few short days from the end of Top Gear. Or perhaps, as Jeremy Clarkson might say through a megaphone, it is not the end. It is not the beginning. It is not the beginning of the end. This is just perhaps the end of the beginning.
On Sunday, Top Gear, in its current form, comes to an end as the BBC burns off the final footage of the Clarkson/Hammond/May era of Top Gear. While Clarkson says that the trio are weeks away from announcing their new gig, there is still one final Top Gear for us to watch.
To look back on the last 21 seasons and 13 years of Top Gear, we have a handy infographic looking back on the best destruction of Top Gear.
Wednesday Link-Off: The Fool or the Fool Who Follows Him
Keep your eyes open and don’t believe anything that happens today. It’s April Fools’ Day which means that you’re likely to see or be victim to a prank or bad joke or two. I’m working on something but I’m not holding out hope that it’ll go well. Call me a terrible person but I’m hoping that a coworker’s attempted prank doesn’t go well today if only because it’s terribly unoriginal and generic.
Anyway, today is Wednesday which means that it’s time for the links. Here’s Christina Hendricks.
Despite what Republicans in the Senate may want, two-thirds of Americans support the nuclear deal with Iran. (Washington Post)
You’ve probably never heard of feticide but it’s a relatively new law that reproductive rights activists are up in arms about. You would be too if you knew a woman in Indiana was sentenced to 20 years in prison for having a miscarriage. (NBC News)
There’s a time and place for certain things. Outside a building explosion is not the time or place for taking selfies. (New York Post)
Sunday Link-Off: Press Play
It’s the big day! WrestleMania: Play Button (because numbers make WrestleMania sound old) is today in Santa Clara with the pre-show starting at 5:00 PM EDT, matches starting at a rumoured 6:00 PM EDT and the show proper starting at 7:00 PM EDT. That’s some five hours of wrestling. Holy crap, that’s way too much.
Anyway, it’s time for the links. Since WrestleMania is today, I think it’s appropriate to lead this one off (or maybe we should say start the card) with Paige.
The Harper Government tried promoting Canadian energy in the US. It cost them $24 million in advertising. (CBC News)
The state of Indiana has passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Basically, it allows people to use freedom of religion as a defense in legal matters. Yes, this includes invoking your religion to discriminate against people you don’t like. (BuzzFeed)
You’ve heard of Alcoholics Anonymous but you haven’t heard the scientific criticisms. Many doctors question the efficacy of the faith-based program. (The Atlantic)
Wednesday Link-Off: Take Me Out To The Ballgame
Because she’s doing her country proud and accompanying Sgt. Scott Moore to the Marine Ball, here’s Mila Kunis.
It was the end of an era two weeks ago as Friday Night Lights aired its series finale. It was easily the greatest sports show ever made. (New York Post)
It’s only appropriate that on the week of baseball’s All-Star Game, this gem of a story is re-unearthed. It’s the story of Dock Ellis pitching a no-hitter on LSD. (Deadspin)
To see if it was possible, Deadspin Editor-In-Chief AJ Daulerio tried to recreate the feat using MLB 2K11 on the XBox 360. His effort was filmed and posted for posterity. (Deadspin on Acid)
After the jump, Joe Buck is willing to shut up for us, the best of Top Gear and the return of DJ Steve Porter. Continue reading
Sunday Link-Off: Not Winning
So Steve is away for the weekend, so it’s actually Jackie here writing your latest edition of the Sunday Link-Off. Since he has been nice enough to cover for my Entertainment Link-Offs while I was away, it would be nice of me to return the favour. Kicking off this entry is Vanessa Hudgens. She’s starring in the film Beastly this weekend… and from the looks of it, it’s not looking like it’ll be winning any Oscars next year.
After the jump, more Charlie Sheen moments, a flowchart to help you figure out which MLB team to root for, a new extreme form of hockey has emerged, and Canadian national anthem fail. Continue reading
Ken Block Gymkhana: The Complete Collection
If you’re a fan of cars, drifting, viral videos or all of the above, you’ve probably heard of American rally driver Ken Block. To keep in practice for rally events, he found his claim to fame. That’s something called Gymkhana. In proper gymkhana, drivers drive a course that sees them spins, handbrake turns and other spectacular maneuvers. For Block, there is no course, just the spectacular moves of his gymkhana video series. Continue reading
Sunday Link-Off: Too Damn High
Since I massacred yesterday’s entertainment links, how about I make it up to you with Candice Swanepoel?
The Dongslinger saga carries on. Now AJ Daulerio is fielding questions from journalism students over it. He handles himself well, though. (Sports Journalism)
The WHL isn’t what I would call “minor league” hockey but sometimes they dream up gimmicks like a standard minor league club. The Saskatoon Blades are wearing denim jacket-style jerseys for an upcoming game. (Sportress of Blogitude)
And speaking of minor league gimmicks, the KHL has a new idea to promote the league. They’re holding a contest (in conjunction with Playboy) where female fans send in swimsuit pictures and write why they love their KHL team. Makes perfect sense to me. (Puck Daddy)
After the jump, Top Gear finds a new Stig, the 100 best mustaches in sports history, and the Rent Is Too Damn High. Continue reading
Top Gear on 60 Minutes
As frequent readers know, our favourite TV at The Lowdown Blog is BBC’s Top Gear. Taken at face value, it’s a show about cars and the people who drive them. Really, it’s about three middle-aged men (and a formerly anonymous racing driver) who act like school kids, drive really fast, say whatever they feel like and have a good time doing it. For whatever reason, the iconic news show 60 Minutes went over to England to profile the show and its hosts. After the jump, we have the full 60 Minutes story on Top Gear. Continue reading