If Wedding Reception Seating Charts Were Honest
by Brenan Sharp and Jesse Thompson 
Thursday, October 22, 2009
10 Smurfy Smurfs Facts
by
Here at the Quick 10, we’re taking a break from our regularly-scheduled Halloween posts to bring you this public service announcement: it was 51 years ago this week that The Smurfs were first introduced to our pop culture vernacular. I thought it seemed like a pretty worthy reason to break the spooky string of posts, and anyway, I bet at least one of you _flossers spent a Halloween or two slathering yourself in blue paint to portray one of the sapphire shorties (you’ll let us know if you did, right?).
1. The Smurfs were invented as a result of a silly conversation over dinner. Pierre Culliford, a Belgian artist known as Peyo, was dining with a friend when he had one of those momentary lapses of vocabulary that we all experience from time to time – he couldn’t remember the word for “salt” and asked his friend to pass the “schtroumpf.” Mocking him, his friend responded with, “Here’s the schtroumpf. When you are done schtroumpfing, schtroumpf it back.” This sparked an idea, and “les Schtroumpfs” were born in comic strip form shortly thereafter. This, of course, was translated to “The Smurfs” when they hit the American market.
2. The cartoon series was created when an NBC executive spied his daughter playing with a plush Smurf doll. After observing how much she loved the doll, he decided that the Schtroumpfs might be a good fit for his Saturday morning cartoon-fest. It was; it aired for nine seasons.
3. The Smurfs are specifically “three apples” tall.
4. The white hat the Smurfs all wear have been around for ages and are called Phrygian caps. They’re often considered symbols of liberty and were once found on the tops of Liberty Poles. You can see one on the seal of the United States Senate as well.
5. Because the Smurfs shared all of their possessions, some people thought this was a barely veiled attempt to brainwash children into Communist ways. Of course, some people also thought the Phrygian hats meant that the Smurfs were a sect of the Ku Klux Klan, and others claimed the Smurfs were neo-Nazis promoting an Aryan race because of the lone, blonde female in the group. In fact, none of those things were true. Peyo’s son has stated that the Smurfs had no political undertones at all, and the only messages his father wished to impart were those of friendship and love.
6. Karenna Gore’s Secret Service code name was Smurfette, which she has apparently regretted ever since. In 1997, she said, “Ever since I was put on the spot and told ‘two syllables’ and ‘It has to start with an S,’ I have been cringing in the back seat when identified as ‘Smurfette’.”
7. The answer to the age-old question “What color does a Smurf turn when it’s choking?” is purple. At least we can assume it’s purple, based on the episode where a Smurf decides to hold his breath.
8. The Smurfs showed up at a bunch of Kings Entertainment amusement parks in the mid ’80s. King’s Island near Cincinnati had a boat ride that took people through the Smurf village, King’s Dominion had Smurf Mountain, Great America had a little roller coaster called The Blue Streak, and Carowinds had a children’s play area called Smurf Island. Since then, they have all been replaced with different rides.
9. There are some Smurfs from the original comics that never made it to the cartoon. These include Alchemist Smurf, Timid Smurf, Enamored Smurf, Finance Smurf (whoo-hoo! How fun for kids!), Mango Smurf, Lumberjack Smurf, Pastrycook Smurf, Submariner Smurf and Navigator Smurf.
10. The World Record for People Dressed as Smurfs (I can’t shake the feeling that the plural should be Smurves. I know. So wrong.) was set just this year in Swansea, Wales. More than 2,500 people crammed into a nightclub dressed in blue and white and weren’t allowed to have any natural skin showing in order to count toward the record. The previous record had been set just a year earlier, with 1,253 Smurfs gathered in Castleblayney, Ireland.
Oh, and I’ve had this stuck in my head ever since I got the idea for this post, so in hopes that passing it along will get it out of my brain, here you go:
Girl Scout Leader Gets Badge for Credit Card Theft
By Thomas Francis
 |
| Flickr: wintrspawn |
| Apparently, this Girl Scout couldn't afford clothes, either, so she improvised!. |
The Boynton Beach Police Department has arrested Magaret Ann Willett, a volunteer for the Girl Scouts of America, on suspicion of credit card fraud after a victim picked out Willett from a surveillance video.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Willett is suspected of having gone on a shopping spree with a credit card that belonged to Mary Ann Paris of Boynton Beach. The card was used at Ross Dress for Less, WalMart, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Target. (A real "frugalista," isn't she?) She scooped up some pet supplies at Pet Supermarket. And then she apparently needed groceries, so she made stops at Publix and WalMart. In all, she spent about $700.
The affidavit says that after confronting Willett, she admitted that she had found Paris' credit card at the office for Girl Scouts of America where they both worked. She blamed the theft on financial trouble.
Drunkest Guy Ever Tries to Buy Beer, Gets Remixed
by:// Alex Moaba
Late last week, a drunk man walked into a convenience store and tried to buy some more beer. It didn't go so well...or did it? Because now the internet has bequeathed us many, many remixes of the footage, and they're pretty entertaining. Before we get started here, I'll just break the news up-front that I couldn't find a version mixed with Yakety Sax. I'm as disappointed as you are. Get on that, Internet.
First up, check out the original video and then all the wonderful Drunkest Guy Ever remixes below.
- Mixed with Daft Punk's 'Around the World'
- The Silent Film Version (Mustache and Monacle via Buzzfeed)
- For the ladies -- mixed with 'He Ain't With Me Now Though'
- 'Ol' English' by The Game
- This one weaves between Swizz Beatz' 'It's Me B*tches,' 'Too Hot To Stop Pt. 1' by the Bar-Kays, and a Redbirds' cover of Willie Nelson's 'I Gotta Get Drunk'
- 'Drinking Alone' by Hanibal. Remix via Sunspeik
- 'Should Have Taken Acid With You' by Neon Indian
- "2001 -- A Beer Odyssey"
- UPDATE: We have found our Yakety Sax Version, and it is glorious. Thanks to Digg commenter NickSalvo and Comedy Funhouse
Rare Look Inside Moby's Home Studio [Video]
Posted by Motherboard
Motherboard heads deep into the bowels of Moby’s Manhattan apartment-studio, where he unveils his prized assemblage of rarified gadgets, bizarre synthesizers, and outré drum devices.
Tokyo 2009: Lexus reveals $375,000 LFA supercar...finally [w/VIDEO]
2011 Lexus LFA - Click above for high-res image gallery
It seems like the Lexus LFA has been around forever. In reality, the first concept version was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in 2005, but that's a long time in the automotive world. Additional concepts followed in 2007 and 2008, and the on-off rumors of a production version haven't help. Nevertheless, the production version of the LFA is finally here at the Tokyo Motor Show, and it is glorious. All of which makes it harder to stomach that the car shown here isn't expected to reach customer garages until early 2011.
The specifications of the new rear-drive Lexus supercar are impressive enough: a 4.8-liter V10 with 560 ps (552 bhp), 354 lb-ft torque, a zingy 9,000 rpm redline, six-speed sequential gearbox, 0-62 mph in 3.7 seconds, and a top speed of 202 mph. It looks amazing too, both in pictures and in person.
Of course, we can't help but make comparisons to the current reigning Japanese supercar, the Nissan GT-R. At just 3,263 pounds, the LFA easily has a better power-to-weight ratio, but that hasn't seemed to stop the all-wheel drive juggernaut before. Then there is the small matter of cost to consider. Unlike the GT-R, which is considered a performance bargain, the LFA will be exclusive – and costly. Only 500 units will be produced at a cost of...drum roll please....$375,000. Despite the colossal price tag, we hear that Lexus expects to take a loss on each one.
Will the LFA be worth the high cost? We should be able to tell you soon, as our man Damon Lavrinc will be getting some time behind the wheel of a prototype later this week. Until then, you can check out some amazing video of the LFA after the jump and live photos in the high-res galleries below.
Live Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.
PRESS RELEASE:
Tokyo, October 21, 2009 - Lexus announces today the official launch of the LFA, a two-seat supercar scheduled to go into production at the end of 2010 as the pinnacle of the Lexus "F" premium sports car series. Pre-sales start today.
Ultra-responsive and extremely stable even when taken to the edge, the LFA creates a sense of reassurance that opens up a new world of driving emotion, exhilarating the senses to move the driver in more ways than one.
The LFA combines high output, superb chassis design and meticulous aerodynamics to achieve instantaneous total-vehicle response characterized by high-rev, seamless acceleration echoed by a self-defining resonance from its 4.8-liter V10.
Only 500 units of the LFA are to be produced and sold worldwide.
A prototype of the LFA is now on display at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show, which is open to the general public from October 24 to November 4 at Makuhari Messe in Makuhari, Chiba Prefecture.
1. Packaging brings out the most in fundamental performance
Strong and light
The newly developed 4.8-liter V10 engine boasts exceptional power, while lightweight materials (aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy and titanium alloy) and a very compact size (smaller than a conventional V8) allows for optimal weight distribution and an exceptional power-to-weight ratio.
Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) cabin enhances high body-rigidity and reduces weight. This unique cabin is 100kg lighter than a comparable aluminum cabin. Detailed analysis and precise matching of CFRP materials allows for high rigidity and low weight. LFA CFRP production technology, including unique CFRP-to-metal joining, was completely developed by Lexus.
Balanced
Relatively higher weight components such as the engine and transmission are placed within the wheelbase. A low center of gravity is made possible by the use of dry sump lubrication1, along with placing peripheral components (oil pump, water pump) behind the engine. Furthermore, optimal placement of the transmission and the fuel tank in front of the rear axle adds to this application of centralized mass. This minimizes weight shift during cornering and contributes to outstanding performance and stability. Lighter weight components, like the radiator and electric fans, are placed behind the rear axle.
Combined with a front-engine and rear-wheel-drive configuration, the short, wide and low body allows the LFA to achieve its target front-to-rear weight distribution of 48:52.
Driver-centered
The driver's seat is positioned near the LFA's center of gravity. The centralized seating concept (with the seat between the front and rear axles and closer to the left–right center) is made possible by the use of a rear transaxle and vertically stacked torque tube and exhaust pipes reducing the width of the center tunnel. The driver placement is aimed to provide maximum car-to-driver feedback, especially under sport or high G-force driving conditions.
2. Emotive performance embodies an extraordinary driving experience
High–rev engine
Titanium valves, ultra–light weight rocker arms with a diamond–like coating and a fully integrated lower crankcase that reduces pumping losses at high RPMs combine to provide the driver with overwhelming acceleration right up to the 9,000rpm redline. The LFA's purpose-built V10 delivers 90% of its peak torque between 3,700rpm and 9,000rpm.
Precise Response
Independent, electronically controlled throttle bodies ensure precise air-feed to each of the 10 cylinders, enabling immediate engine response from the accelerator pedal. The engine response time is approximately half the normal response time of a single-throttle valve.
The six-speed ASG transmission features heavy-duty synchronizer rings and a newly developed gearshift actuator, providing the driver with a very direct shift feel. Four selectable driving modes and a seven-stage shift-speed selector that results in upshift speeds down to 0.2 seconds provide a higher level of driver control.
Track-sized high-performance (Carbon Ceramic) CCM brake discs and Electronically Controlled Braking system generate ultra-powerful yet stable braking.
Responsive handling and engaging dynamics
The very light and rigid CFRP cabin, combined with a front double-wishbone suspension and a rear multilink suspension, result in a very stable, controlled ride. Detailed aerodynamic engineering results in elements such as a flat underbody, a diffuser and a speed-controlled rear wing, which allows precise vehicle response at all vehicle speeds, thus creating unity between driver and machine.
Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management integrates numerous vehicle dynamic functions that provide a high level of vehicle stability and preventative safety without interfering with the driver's intentions, especially when sport driving.
Exciting engine sound and L-finesse2 design
Equal-length exhaust manifolds combined with an equal-length dual exhaust system routed through a multistage titanium main muffler fine tunes the exhaust note.
An acoustically tuned surge tank linked to 10 individual throttle bodies creates a powerful induction sound. The coordination of intake and exhaust sounds overlap at various RPMs to create a unique, exciting and inspired soundtrack.
The exterior design includes carefully tuned aerodynamics and airflow management. The use of CFRP, in addition to strength and weight advantages, frees up the design of the exterior panels allowing a fresh supercar L-finesse design. The interior design combines state-of-the-art instrument-panel design and technology, along with a variety of custom-tailored interior trim packages to suit the most discerning driver.
# # #
Steve Phillips' Relationship with ESPN Assistant Brooke Hundley Becomes Front-Page News
ESPN analyst Steve Phillips has probably had better days than today. The New York Post has an incredibly salacious and ugly story about Phillips and a jilted ex-lover, Brooke Hundley, who was an assistant at ESPN. It really doesn't get any more awkward than this: Phillips had a fling with a 22-year-old girl, and then broke up with her. When Phillips split up with her, Hundley decided to make contact with both his wife and teenage son, whose name has been redacted in this letter that was printed by The Post today. Some highlights from the letter, if you don't have time to read the whole thing.
-- She gives details to prove her intimate relationship with Phillips, including details about a vasectomy and birthmarks in private areas.
-- The whole middle paragraph is really talking a lot about Phillips' son, which I'm sure struck a nerve with Marni Phillips.
-- She details numerous romantic liaisons (and future meetings, too) in the letter.
-- She somehow manages to try to spin some reason in this whole thing by playing the "I'm Catholic" card, which was pretty amusing.
Steve Phillips told police he has "extreme concerns about the healthy and safety of my kids and myself." Phillips did not pursue charges against Hundley, but he is being sued for divorce by Marni Phillips.
The Post also reports Phillips has been suspended one week by ESPN for the scandal. (You've got to wonder what Harold Reynolds thinks of that light one-week slap on the wrist after he was bounced from the network for misconduct falling in a similar category.) There has been no comment from ESPN, Hundley or Phillips on the matter.
Where this goes from sort of comical and embarrassing to just scary is the encounter on Aug. 19:
Marni Phillips, a stunning, green-eyed blonde, told cops that on Aug. 19, she drove home with her 7-year-old son and spotted a woman walking down the driveway to a parked car."I knew instinctively this was the woman Steve was involved with and I was terrified," Marni told cops. "I immediately called 911. She got in her car, put it in reverse and smashed the rear end of her vehicle into the stone column."
Marni then found the letter stuck in the door.
UPDATE 1: Excellent (and now erased) Wikipedia entry on Steve Phillips' page.
UPDATE 2: Don't forget that this isn't his first run-in outside his marriage. (via)
UPDATE 3: Phillips is taking an indefinite leave of absence from ESPN. No big surprise after the storm this has kicked up today.
UPDATE 4: Statement from Phillips now available.
Trent Reznor Celebrates 20 Years of NIN’s “Pretty Hate Machine”
After over three months of dormancy, Trent Reznor’s Twitter page was resurrected last night as the Nine Inch Nails frontman celebrated the 20th anniversary of his debut album Pretty Hate Machine. “Happy birthday, old friend. Pretty Hate Machine turns 20,” Reznor wrote, his first tweet since quitting Twitter following a July 17th message that read, “I believe I’ve done all I care to do here at this point. Flesh and reality and silence are calling.” Reznor’s call out to his first LP helped make #PrettyHateMachine a Twitter Trending Topic last night.
Check out photos of NIN’s last-ever live gig.
Pretty Hate Machine was released on October 20th, 1989 on TVT Records, introducing music fans to hits like “Head Like a Hole,” “Down In It,” “Terrible Lie” and other synth-goth classics. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide awarded PHM four-and-a-half stars, crediting Nine Inch Nails for being “on to something that no one else had quite figured out yet” and labeling Reznor as “an artist already near the top of his game.”
If you’re looking to celebrate Pretty Hate Machine’s 20th anniversary by downloading the album off a digital service, you’re out of luck: The official NIN Twitter announced yesterday that a legal download isn’t available since the band doesn’t own the rights to PHM, but import copies of the CD are available. (The rights issue has always made finding a physical copy of PHM in stores quite difficult over the past decade.) Reznor retired NIN as a touring band last month, capping the band’s live run with an epic final gig in Los Angeles.
More NIN live: onstage shots from the band’s tour with Jane’s Addiction.
Fittingly, the same week we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of a song called “Ringfinger,” Reznor married Mariqueen Maandig in a ceremony this weekend, Rolling Stone reported.
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