Hello Kitty

The Simpsons…

And the Flintstones…

Here they come, in no particular order. We’ll start with:

1.) Buddy the Golden Retriever
From: The Air Bud movies

Simply put, Buddy is a multi-sport phenomenon. After demonstrating his considerable shooting prowess while leading the Fernfield Timberwolves basketball team to the championship, Buddy went on to lift the T-wolves to championships in football, soccer, baseball, and beach volleyball.

Also worth mentioning are two late great actors Buddy was privileged to share the screen with: Michael Jeter and Patrick Cranshaw.

Here’s a video of Buddy doing what he does best most recently: stuffing the shit outta some punk on the sand. I’ve thoughtfully queued the video to the good stuff.

2.) Quark the Border Terrier
From: Honey I Shrunk The Kids, and sequels

In case you don’t remember the movie: Quark saves the fucking day. After Wayne Szalinski (Rick Moranis) accidentally shrinks the kids, and they survive their odyssey across the yard, they hitch a ride on Quark back into the house. Then, in one of the most perfect scenes in the history of cinema, the shrunken Nick ends up in his dad’s bowl of Cheerios, and is nearly devoured.

It’s fun to imagine Wayne picking the mangled, miniature body of his oldest son from between his incisors; Quark had this exact thought, but decided he had to stop it. The normally docile Quark springs to action, biting Wayne, who in his surprise does not eat Nick, and then sees him. And then they get shot back up to regular size, and everything’s cool.

You can almost hear the Disney brainstorming session that began once the movie broke even: Wait a second, the shrink-ray is also a enlarge-ray, right…?

Bonus fact:
• Quark may have also saved YOUR life, if you ever enjoyed the 4D thrills of Honey I Shrunk The Audience. Nick’s pet snake Gigabyte is about to eat the entire audience, but Quark comes and scares him away. Spoiler alert.
• If you know what a quark actually is, good for you.

3.) Beethoven the St. Bernard
From: the Beethoven movies. I think I saw the second one once (there are six).

Beethoven is a big dog. Considering he is the title character, he has little impact on the plot of the movie. It’s basically just about an evil guy who wants to use Beethoven for some fucked-up animal testing, but the family stops them. Really just kind of a cheap movie that was horrifying as a kid.

4.) Otis the Pug Puppy
From: The Adventures of Milo and Otis. You need to see this movie

God damn, this has got to be one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. It is all live-action and narrated by the delightful Dudley Moore who also does the characters’ voices. It took four years to film, and although I have never seen the Japanese original, it is supposedly darker than this dark-for-a-kids-movie version. Milo and Otis is like the most wonderful storybook, read by a kindly Englishman, and he is showing only you the illustrations the entire time.

I will not do this movie the injustice of spoilers, but it is an exciting adventure, with real edge-of-your-seat danger. I’m not being sarcastic, this movie is pretty intense. It was a staple of my childhood movie time, but I had not seen it in years until recently. The potential is there for very deep interpretation about life, love, friendship and what-not. Also, it’s simply beautiful to watch.

5.) Chance the American Bulldog and Shadow the Golden Retriever
From: Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (a remake, and originally a novel)

First of all, great voice work in this movie. Michael J. Fox was the perfect wise-cracking Chance, the late Don Ameche (in one of his last roles) made a wonderful old and wise Shadow, and the sassy Sally Field voiced the sassy Sassy.

I remember Chance getting fuckin’ got by a porcupine. Ouch!

6.) Charlie B. Barkin the German Shephard/Mix, Itchy Itchiford the Dachshund, and Carface Carruthers the Pit Bull
From: All Dogs Go to Heaven

You’ve probably noticed I’m including more than one dog per list item here. Who cares.

You’ve heard that all dogs go to heaven; this is an indisputable fact. By studying Charlie the zombie-dog, many of the nuances of this universal law are demystified:

1. All dogs go to heaven, even if they have done no good deeds in their life (like Charlie). Note: Carface murders Charlie and is generally just a dick, but he gets into heaven too.
   
2. Every dog’s lifespan is predetermined by a golden pocket watch, henceforth referred to as a “life-watch.” Upon arriving in heaven, it is possible to manually wind the life-watch, enabling an extra life, so long as the watch continues to tick. After that…
3. …That particular dog does not go to heaven. Said dog has chosen an extra life, and she/he is damned for eternity upon re-expiration of the life-watch.
4. It is in fact possible for a dog to regain heaven access through an act of self-sacrifice.

That was a nice list. But clearly, it’s much easier for dogs to get into heaven than say, cats, who must die nine times before they even get a chance at it, and even then there’s no guarantee. Dogs can fuck up their whole life, and then die and go to heaven. Then, forsaking heaven forever, a zombie dog can fuck up another entire life, and through a single act get it all back. Bring this up to your theology professor. Shield your eyes, and wait approximately three seconds. Collect mind fragments from around the room.

Oh yeah, and Charlie is voiced by Burt fucking Reynolds (and then Charlie Sheen in ADGtH2)!

Zombie Charlie
(mouseover to see Zombie Jay Leno)

Zombie Burt Reynolds
(mouseover to see the headshot)

Note: Zombie Jay Leno has nothing to do with this list. Thanks to IGN for these screens from Dawn of the Dead.

7.) Rimshot the Jack Russel Terrier
From: the Ernest movies

In the most famous Ernest movie, Ernest: Scared Stupid, Rimshot gets turned into a wooden figurine by Trantor the troll. Then Ernest just fucking snaps. The folks at saturday morning central did this cool write-up about Scared Stupid (with animated .gifs).

8.) Milo the Jack Russel Terrier
From: The Mask movie(s) (based on a comics series, didja know that?)

Another Jack Russel! They’re pretty cool little dogs; normally I compare small dogs to rats.

Milo wears the mask for a a little while and saves the day. Also he helps Stanley (Jim Carrey) bust out of jail.

Anyway, sorry for the delay. Here’s pictures of a 22-year-old Cameron Diaz who was absolutely sssssssmokin’ in this, her first acting role.

9.) Old Yeller
From: Old Yeller (actually a novel first. Maybe the ultimate case of “why read the book?”)

You know the story. Old Yeller saves Timmy Travis from a rabid wolf, but gets rabies himself and Timmy Travis has to shoot him. Then he gets a new dog— one of Old Yeller’s puppies. Sad but, Old Yeller was getting old anyway and the new puppy is so much cuter!

Like racism, rabies was eliminated in the early 1990’s.

10.) Dollar the Dollarmation
From: Ritchie Ritch (Comics and TV Show first, but the live-action movie is how I know him)

11.) Goofy Goof (and Max, PJ, Pete, Bobby, etc)
From: A Goofy Movie, Goof Troop (TV show), and on and on

No discussion of the the Goof family can proceed without acknowledging a striking peculiarity. That peculiarity is number 11 on my list.

12.) Pluto Goof
From: I don’t really know. Lots of Disney crap.

Pluto is a silly, though very loving and protective dog. It never made sense to me that Goofy (a dog) can talk and laugh and fall in love— yet he has a pet dog, Pluto, whose typical day includes slobbering, and maybe sitting or rolling over on command.

The nearest human equivalent is slavery. Perhaps with an education Pluto could learn to speak and express himself, and even hold down a job. But then who would fetch Goofy’s morning paper? You see where I’m going with this. The writing is on the wall.

13.) White Fang the Wolfdog
From: White Fang (a novel, of course, but I didn’t know that as a kid)

Trivia time: White Fang is three-quarters wolf (mother is half dog, father is full wolf).

A great adventure story on a whole ‘nother level from Milo and Otis. As you might expect, the Disnefied movie isn’t nearly as serious and dark as the book, although it has moments of real danger. Hard to make jokes about White Fang, who was sold into dogfighting for a bottle of whiskey and won every fight. What a beautiful animal:

14.) Hercules the English Mastiff (aka The Beast)
From: The Sandlot

If you don’t know who The Beast is, then what the fuck? Scotty Smalls brought out a baseball, signed by Babe Ruth, and actually played with it (and actually played with it)!

The gang should have just asked Mr. Mertle and he would have gotten the ball, but legend said that Mr. Mertle was the meanest old man who ever lived. No one’s ever gotten the best of ol’ Hercules. They said that Babe Ruth was less than a god, but more than a man, like Hercules or something. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die. Hercules lived to be 199 years old— uh, in doggy years.

Britney Spears: According to public records, Spears purchased the Malibu, California house through her Love Shack Trust in October 2004 for $6,300,000. The 7,400 square foot home boasts a pool, a spa, tennis court and gym, a maid’s quarters, seven bedrooms and six and a half bathrooms. Spears put the home on the market in January 2007 for $13.5 million, but the price dropped in March to $11.8 million. The house, which is located in the exclusive gated Serra Retreat area where such stars as Mel Gibson live, may have priced itself out of the market for the moment. Additionally, rumor has it that the gated estate was too overly-customized to Mr. and Mrs. Spears’ tastes. According to the linked source, “A bar in every room was too over-the-top for the average potential buyer in that price range – not to mention the lavish poolside bar built over which once was the tennis court.” This past March, papers were served to Britney and she was almost evicted because she hadn’t paid the rent. It appears that Britney’s financial team screwed up, but that all payments now are current.

John Travolta: No, this isn’t an airline terminal. It’s the home of John Travolta and family, built specifically to house his Gulfstream and Boeing 707B. The home is located immediately off a main airstrip in Ocala, Florida, and it’s designed so his jets can taxi right up to two outbuildings connected to the main structure that’s shaped like a truncated air-control tower. Although the property came equipped with a 7,500-foot runway, Travolta extended the taxiway to reach the house. Actress Kelly Preston, Travolta’s wife, can tell when John’s home, as the planes are visible from the living area inside the home. If that’s not enough airline for you, wait until you see the mural in the dining area that was culled from a 1937 Fortune magazine ad. Diners can pretend they’re eating in the lobby of a 1930s Paris airport.

Michael Jackson: Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch served as the pop singer’s private amusement park and home when the facility opened in 1988, but it’s no longer in operation. This ridiculous property, which lies over 2,800 acres, contains a zoo, a theme park with Ferris wheel, merr-go-round, zipper, spider, sea dragon, wave swinger, super slide, dragon wagon kiddie roller coaster, and bumper cars. Named for Neverland, the fantastical island in the story of Peter Pan where children never grow up, the ranch is located near Los Olivos, California. As of March, 2008, the property remains in foreclosure proceedings, with a possible auction slated unless Jackson clears his debt. The auction may be forestalled by a loan extension offered by his loan holder Fortress Investments, according to Fox News.

Ira Rennert: Rennert, a publicity-shy billionaire founder of the Renco Group, is known more for his obnoxious New York Hamptons home than he is for anything else. This mansion is considered one of the largest occupied residential compounds in America, and – if put on the market – may be the valued as the most expensive home on earth. The home sits on 63 acres, and the buildings cover over 110,000 square feet including the 66,000 square foot main house. The main building contains a 91-foot long dining room, 29 bedrooms and 39 bathrooms. Fair Field, named after the adjoining Fairfield Pond, also contains a bowling alley, tennis and squash courts, and a $150,000 hot tub.

Candy Spelling: Producer Aaron Spelling tore down Bing Crosby’s old home to build this ridiculous 56,000-square-foot, 123-room Los Angeles, California estate. Unarguably the largest estate in California, this hotel-sized mansion sports a bowling alley and a single room devoted entirely to gift wrapping. While rumors ran rampant that Aaron’s widow, Candy, would sell the home in 2006 following Aaron’s death, Candy dispelled the rumors and continues to reside alone in the mansion. Candy Spelling is the mother of Tori and Randy Spelling, both actors. Candy and Tori have remained hot in celebrity mags, thanks to their feuds over Aaron’s inheritance, Tori’s portrayal of her mother in a VH1 sitcom, and other family feudal issues.

Will Smith: This is Will and Jada Smith’s ridiculously obnoxious mansion, located in California. Their estate is described as a Calabasas castle, as it has its own lake, basketball court, tennis court and a pair of private par threes in the backyard. The estate took over seven years to build at $20 million. Smith stated, “The problem is that you build your dream home, but then you’re seven years older so it’s the house you used to want real bad!” By 2004, when they had seven months until they could move in, Smith added, “We’ve got about seven more months (before we move in). Everybody is excited because we went (to the house) and we let the kids come in and they picked out their rooms. Some of them are not gonna live there because they’re gonna have their own home by the time we actually move in!” The Smith family was forced to leave this home in 2005 when a bush fire threatened to destroy it and several other houses in the same area.

Donald Trump: Donald Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida mansion was primed for the real estate market in 2006, and this 80,000-square-foot estate was priced at $125 million well before the housing meltdown. This obnoxious mansion, which resembles a civic center, totals 62,000 square feet, with nine bedrooms, a ballroom, media room, art gallery, beauty salon, and a 4,100-square-foot conservatory. Additionally, the 6.5-acre property with 475 feet of ocean frontage includes two guest houses, a pool, and parking for 40 cars. Trump purchased the estate for $41.35 million in a 2004 Florida bankruptcy-court auction. Trump renovated Maison de l’Amitié during his tenure, and during the sale it was listed as the most expensive home on the market anywhere in the U.S.

Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz: Shortly after His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz was appointed Secretary-General of the National Security Council by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on October 16, 2005, he put his house in Aspen, Colorado up for sale. His reason for purchasing this home, which sits on 95 acres, includes his position as Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America from October 24, 1983 to September 8, 2005. However, it appears that His Highness rarely stayed at this U.S. palace. The main portion of the house, which is larger than the White House, includes 16 bathrooms, 15 bedrooms, stables, a tennis court, an indoor swimming pool, outdoor water features and a snowmelt driveway. The price? At the time, the asking price was $135 million, ten million more than what Trump asked for his Palm Beach estate. The Prince took the house off the market in November 2007 after a lack of offers.

Michael Vick: The former quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons is languishing in jail and no longer lives in this somewhat tacky Surrey County, Virginia home since he was convicted for dog fighting. The house includes 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, a white brick exterior, hardwood floors, and a full basketball court in the backyard. Although the Surry County, Virginia Commissioner of the Revenue stated the dwelling itself is valued at $647,000, and the 15 acres of land upon which the home sits was valued at $100,000, it would be very spooky to live in a home where this celebrity buried dog carcasses. The home sits across the street from a Baptist Church and is surrounded by a large, white fence and was sold at auction in November 2007.

Martha Stewart: Would you pay $8.9 million for this house? That’s what Martha Stewart wants for her Westport, Connecticut home called “Turkey Hill.” The Georgian style house sports nine bedrooms, three baths, several outbuildings and “the nicest garden in town.” However, we feel that – given Martha’s gift for creativity – this house really is a turkey. At least it has plenty of room to roam on 4.03 acres. But, that wallpaper effect on the stairwell needs to go

This creature is most probably the creation of an environmental problem. Children at a nursery in Weston-super-Mare, England spotted the three headed frog hopping in the garden.

The blog famous cyclops kitten, Cy was first thought to be a joke photo manipulation. Living only for a day, It had only one eye and was noseless.

The most infamous headless chicken, Mike wowed the world by living for 18 months which indefinitely entered it into the Guinness World Records. It could still live becuase most of his brain stem and ear was left on his body.

Nope this is not photoshop manipulated. A female polar bear named Pelusa turned purple after she was given a special treatment to clear up a skin condition. This has attracted crowds at the Mendoza City Zoo in Argentina. The fur has returned to normal after a few days.

Genetic mutation called ‘feather duster’ of a parakeet.

Dolphins has taken a pink hue in the Pear River Delta situated between Hong Kong and Macau. It is not known why they are pink in colour but several assumptions include the lack of natural predators or the pink colour is a byproduct of blushing to regulate body temperature.

The two-month old animal, named Cham Leck which means ’strange,’ was given to monks at a local pagoda by a farmer who feared the six legged cow would bring him bad fortune.

The hooded seal has a large elastic nasal cavity and when fully inflated resembles a large black ruber ball. They are large aggresive mammals that can exceed 3m in length and 400kg in weight.

The large ocean sunfish vies for the title of strangest fish in the sea. It has an almost circular, flattened body. It weighs up to 2 tons and 3m long. The head is almost a third of the whole body length.

If you had your facts about the Siberian tiger being the largest cat, then you are wrong. The liger is the world’s largest cat, a cross breed between a male lion and a female tiger. They exhibit conflicts between the social habits of the lion and solitary habits of the tiger.

]]> http://www.alltopmovies.net/top-10-strangest-animals/feed/ 3 http://www.alltopmovies.net/the-top-10-silliest-hats-in-england/ http://www.alltopmovies.net/the-top-10-silliest-hats-in-england/#comments Sat, 20 Jun 2009 13:46:14 +0000 admin http://alltopmovies.net/?p=197 Yesterday, the richest socialites and dignitaries from England and beyond headed over to Ladies Day at the Royal Ascot race meeting, sort of like Halloween for the obscenely wealthy. As is tradition, England’s richest ladies go on parade in the most expensive of haute-couture gowns, shoes, and — most importantly — hats. Oh, the hats. Let’s take a look at The 10 Silliest Hats in England, yes?

10.

This woman must be very brave. For starters, I’m not entirely sure that that hat doesn’t have a heartbeat. Much like the Alien in Independence Day, this hat might secretly be alive, waiting for the perfect moment to laserbeam his mindthoughts over to our President Bill Pullman. But let’s say this isn’t an otherworldy creature, and, in fact, is just a hat as she’d like you to believe. Wouldn’t you think other birds in the neighborhood would lose their sh*t at the sight of this woman? Imagine spending a nice day in the park, only to see some bird wearing a hat made out of people. You’d probably be pretty upset. Luckily, this woman seems to have a back-up plan in place in case of any unwanted deadly attacks, as her purse seems to have come equipped with an ejector seat. Good thinking, lady with no eyes.

9.

Nothing says “British Class” like a woman wearing a miniature toilet, or “loo”, on her head. Though I imagine once she removed her hand, her head would quickly fall to the floor like so many rotted teeth. If only a tiny man were taking a “wee poo” on that hat, my personal circle of life would be complete.

After the jump, 8 Hats you do NOT want to miss…

8.

NOTE TO LITTLE PEOPLE: If you’ve ever wanted to roll around in the famous American Gladiators Sphere for a bit, contact the woman above. She’ll be wearing said sphere on her head. Thank you, Minimanagement.

7.

Much like Homer Simpson’s “Nacho Hat”, this head covering is simply delicious. UPDATE: Wait, is that little cake made out of PORK, as that sash indicates? In which case, let me backtrack: That cake is not delicious… it is SCRUMPTIOUS.

6.

Remember in National Lampoon’s European Vacation, when all of their luggage got stolen and they had to buy entirely new wardrobes? I’m still not entirely convinced the above snapshot is not a still from that montage.

5.

Guess who took a quick dip in the cemetary pool last night? Daffy Duck, seen above.

4.

How can you tell when a loved one is being abducted by aliens? When they are wearing this hat. Her smile just screams “Take. Me. To. Your. Inbreeder.”

3.

Guess who smelled like baby vomit all night?

2.

This hat isn’t so much “silly” as it is “terri-f**king-fying”. It looks like she’s being chased by the Ringwraiths from Lord of the Rings. And this poor woman… look how happy she is!!! She has no idea the four whoresmen of the apocalypse are hot on her tail! Look how happy she is to see you… she’s all “Hi Bahsil! What? Behind me you say? Ghosts? Oh Bahsil, you ol’ –” THUD. El morte.

1.

1. “It’s more about the sizzle than the steak.”

Business is good for the restaurant industry. Americans now spend roughly half their food budget dining out, and restaurants expect revenue of more than $537 billion in 2007. That’s a 67% increase since 1997. But it’s not just our collective avoidance of the kitchen that’s pumping profits: Restaurants work every angle these days, using marketing psychology to get you to spend more.

At legendary Aureole Las Vegas, spandex-clad “wine angels” retrieve bottles from a 42-foot-tall spirits tower. The thinking behind the spectacle: “Anything that gets patrons’ attention will get them to spend,” says restaurant designer Mark Stech-Novak. Fast-food outlets use a high-stim environment to maximize the source of their profit: “It encourages faster turnover,” says Stephani Robson, senior lecturer at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration. “Specifically, the use of bright light, bright colors, upbeat music and seating that does not encourage lolling.”Even menus are rigged. “We list the item that makes the most profit first so it catches your eye,” says restaurant consultant Linda Lipsky, “and bury the highest-cost item in the middle.”

2. “Eating here could make you sick.”

The 2006 E. coli outbreak that started at a New Jersey Taco Bell and sickened more than 60 people was traced to green onions. But food-borne illness isn’t the only cause for concern: In a separate December incident, 373 people in Indianapolis got sick after eating at an Olive Garden where three employees tested positive for the highly contagious norovirus. (Olive Garden says that the source of the outbreak has yet to be determined.)

“You don’t call out [sick] unless you’re on your deathbed,” says freelance chef Leah Grossman. Indeed, according to a recent study, 58% of salaried New York City restaurant workers reported going to work when sick; the number is even higher for those without benefits. “A lot of poor, transient people work in restaurants,” says Peter Francis, coauthor of industry exposé How to Burn Down the House. “They’re not giving up the $100 they’d make in a shift because they’re sick.”

How can you protect yourself? Check inspection results, which are often posted online by local departments of public health. Or just visit the restroom; it “tells you everything you need to know about a restaurant,” Francis says.

3. “Our markups are ridiculous.”

It’s no secret that restaurants enjoy huge markups on certain items: Coffee, tea and sodas, for example, typically cost restaurants 15 to 20 cents per serving, and pasta, which costs pennies, can be dressed up with more expensive fare and sold for $25 a dish or more. At a fine-dining restaurant, the average cost of food is 38 to 42% of the menu price, says Kevin Moll, CEO and president of National Food Service Advisors. In other words, most restaurants are making roughly 60% on anything they serve.

It’s not all gravy though. Restaurants keep only four cents of every dollar spent by a customer, says Hudson Riehle, vice president of research and information services at the National Restaurant Association. The remainder of the money, he says, is divided between food and beverage purchases, payroll, occupancy and other overhead costs.

Given the slim profit margin, many restaurants rely on savvy pricing to create the illusion of value. Putting a chicken dish on the menu for $21 will make a $15 pasta dish, where the restaurant is making a big profit, seem like a bargain, says Gregg Rapp, owner of consulting firm MenuTechnologies.net.

4. “Big Brother is watching you…eat.”

No one likes having their every move scrutinized, but that may be just what’s happening at your favorite restaurant. Cameras are popping up everywhere, from four-star eateries to the place where you grab your lunchtime sandwich. At historic Randy’s Steakhouse in Frisco, Texas, where checks average $45 to $50, co-owner Don Burks has installed 12 cameras around the premises. Of those, two pick up activity in the dining rooms, and two are aimed at the bar. “We’ve had customers stand on chairs to try to take out a camera,” Burks says. “But the cameras aren’t even pointed at them; they’re pointed at the wine rack.” Their primary purpose: deterring employee theft.

At some restaurants, however, the cameras are indeed trained on the tables. At New York City’s four-star Daniel, for example, four closed-circuit cameras monitor the dining rooms, offering a bird’s-eye view of every plate. “It’s about maintaining a quality of service,” says Daniel spokesperson Georgette Farkas. “With the cameras the chef can tell when each course needs to be plated and served.” So much for that romantic dinner for two.

5. “There’s something fishy about our seafood.”

Even when you pay top dollar for a seafood dish, you might not get what you’re expecting. About 70% of the time, for example, those Maryland crab cakes on the menu weren’t made using crabs from the Chesapeake Bay, says James Anderson, chairman of the Department of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics at the University of Rhode Island. Because of high demand, crabs are often from other eastern states or imported from Thailand and Vietnam. (Look closely at the menu: “Maryland-style” crab is the giveaway.)

There’s also the problem of outright substitution — inexpensive fish, such as pollack, getting passed off as something pricier, like cod. How widespread is the problem? In 2006 the Daytona Beach News-Journal sent fish samples to a lab to prove that four out of 10 local restaurants were pawning a cheaper fish as grouper. The same lab also checked seafood from 24 U.S. cities and found that, overall, consumers have less than a 50/50 shot at being served the fish they ordered.

What can you do? Ask where the fish comes from. “If they’re not sure if the fish is from Alaska or Asia, I order the beef,” Anderson says.

6. “Reservation? What reservation?”

When Timothy Dillon, 34, showed up at new Chicago trattoria Terragusto for his friend’s birthday, he wasn’t expecting a wait. He’d made a reservation for four, then called the day of to confirm and add one more. The restaurant told him no problem, but when the party showed up, they were met with a long wait. “After almost an hour of standing by the bar being ignored, we ended up leaving for another restaurant,” Dillon says. Terragusto says it was its first week open: “We were probably working out a lot of glitches,” says a spokesperson.

As Dillon discovered, a reservation isn’t a guarantee. “Overbooking is almost a necessary evil,” says John Fischer, associate professor of table service at the Culinary Institute of America. Restaurants calculate their average no-show percentage for any given night, then overbook the restaurant by that much, hoping it will come out even. How to avoid Dillon’s fate? It’s considered poor taste to offer a tip before you’re seated, Fischer says, so if it’s your first time, inquire politely after 15 minutes. But go ahead and slip the manager or maître d’ $10 or $20 on the way out; it should ensure you’re seated promptly next time.

7. “Our specials are anything but.”

“I’m very careful about ordering my food,” says Rick Manson, owner of Chef Rick’s restaurant in Santa Maria, Calif. If he orders oysters, Manson says, he’ll offer multiple dishes on the menu that use oysters, “to make sure I use every one of them.” Nonetheless, countless variables can leave surplus ingredients at the end of the day — which often become tomorrow’s special. “It could be the chef legitimately wants to try out something new,” says Stephen Zagor, founder of consulting firm Hospitality & Culinary Resources. “But it could also be something nearing the end of its shelf life that needs to get out of the kitchen.”

How can you tell a good special from a bad one? Watch out for “an expensive item used in a way that’s minimizing its flavor,” Zagor says, such as a lamb chop that’s been cut, braised and put into a dish where it’s a supporting player. Pastas, stews and soups containing expensive meats are also suspect. “There’s an old saying in the restaurant industry,” says David A. Holmes, VP and director of Out East Restaurant Consultants. “‘Sauce and gravy cover up a lot of mistakes.’”

8. “There’s no such thing as too much butter.”

Think that salmon fillet you ordered for dinner is good for you? Think again. Restaurants load even their healthiest fare with butter and other calorie-heavy add-ons. Restaurant meals average 1,000 to 1,500 calories, says Milton Stokes, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. That’s roughly two-thirds of the daily average calories recommended by the USDA. And according to a recent study, women who eat out five times a week consume an average of 290 additional calories per day.

While most Americans assume that fast food is the worst offender, similar fare at casual sit-down restaurants can be even more caloric. The classic burger at Ruby Tuesday, for example, has a whopping 1,013 calories and 71 grams of fat. The McDonald’s Big Mac, with its 540 calories and 29 grams of fat, seems downright diet-worthy by comparison. “We butter our hamburger buns,” says Julie Reid, vice president of culinary for Ruby Tuesday, “so we tell people if they’re looking to cut calories, they shouldn’t eat the bun.” If that sounds less than appetizing, try splitting an entrée with someone, or order an appetizer instead of a main dish.

9. “Nice tip — too bad your waiter won’t get it.”

Just because you tip your waitress 10 bucks, it doesn’t mean she’s going home with that money. More than likely, she’ll have to pass on some of it to the people who helped her serve you: The bartender might get $2, and the busboy $3 to $5. It’s called a tip pool, and it’s becoming standard practice in many restaurants. “It happens often that if someone leaves a voluntary tip [for their server], a significant portion of that money is going to other people,” Zagor says.

According to federal law, only employees who customarily receive tips — waitstaff, hosts, bartenders and bussers — can participate in the tip pool. But sometimes management takes a cut. In 2006, waitstaff from the Hilltop Steak House in Saugus, Mass., won $2.5 million in damages after complaining that managers dipped into their tips.

Mandatory gratuities are also divvied up. At high-end restaurants such as New York City’s Per Se and Napa Valley’s French Laundry, both owned by chef Thomas Keller, the practice is called service compris. “The 20% service charge is clearly stated on the menu, and it’s equally divided among the staff,” says a spokesperson for both restaurants. While the tip pool is designed to foster a team environment among staff, for customers it means something else entirely — that your gratuity isn’t specifically rewarding the waiter or sommelier who provided you with exemplary service.

10. “Never go out to eat on a Monday.”

If you think that Monday, when restaurants tend not to be crowded, is a great time to eat out, think again. “You’re being served all of the weekend’s leftovers,” says Francis, coauthor of “How to Burn Down the House.” Kitchens prepare food on a first-in, first-out basis, meaning whatever is oldest gets served first. It’s a way to ensure that everything on the menu is as fresh as possible.

The system works great most days, but it can run into a little glitch over the weekend. Distributors typically take Sunday off and make their last deliveries Saturday morning — which means that by Monday any food not used over the weekend is at least three to four days old. And it will be served before the same ingredients arriving in Monday’s delivery.

What to do if you wish to dine out on a Monday? Ignore your instincts and go to a place that’s perpetually crowded. “If you are open 24/7 and busy all the time,” says New York-based chef Lucia Calvete, “all your ingredients are fresh all the time.”

Do Beautiful Women Really Come to Life When You Drink Bud Light? 1991, Richard Overton sued Anheuser-Busch for false and misleading advertising under Michigan State law.  The complaint specifically referenced ads involving, among other things, fantasies of beautiful women in tropical settings that came to life for two men driving a Bud Light truck.  In addition to two claims of false advertising, Mr. Overton included a third claim in his complaint in which he claimed to have suffered emotional distress, mental injury, and financial loss in excess of $10,0000 due to the misleading Bud Light ads.  The court dismissed all claims.

If you can’t sue the system, sue yourself. 1995, Robert Lee Brock sued himself for $5 million. He claimed that he had violated his own civil rights and religious beliefs by allowing himself to get drunk and commit crimes which landed him in the Indian Creek Correctional Center in Virginia, serving a 23 year sentence for grand larceny and breaking and entering. What could he possibly have to gain by suing himself? Since being in prison prevented him from having an income, he expected the state to pay. This case was thrown out.

Criminals need not bear the responsibility for their crimes alone when the real money is in Hollywood. 1996, the family of Patsy Ann Byers sued Oliver Stone, Warner Brother, and others involved in the making and distribution of the movie Natural Born Killers for an unspecified amount. They claimed that the movie caused Sarah Edmondson and Benjamin Darrus to go on a crime spree which resulted in Edmonson shooting Byers during a robbery, leaving her paralyzed from the chest down. The lawsuit was originally filed in 1995, against Edmonson and Darrus, the actual perpetrators of the crime spree. Stone and the others involved with the film were added in 1996. The portion of the case aimed at Stone and his associates was dismissed in 2001.

Since when were haunted houses frightening? 2000, Cleanthi Peters sued Universal Studios for $15,000. She claimed to have suffered extreme fear, mental anguish, and emotional distress due to visiting Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights haunted house, which she said was too scary.

When kids commit heinous crimes, who is responsible? The makers of every video game they’ve ever played, of course. 2001, Linda Sanders and other family members of Columbine High School shooting victims sued 25 movie and video game companies for $5 billion, in a class action lawsuit.They claimed that were it not for movies includingThe Basketball Diaries and videos games including Doom, Duke Nukem, Quake, Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil, Mech Warrior, Wolfenstein, Redneck Rampage, Final Fantasy, and Nightmare Creatures, the massacre would not have occurred, and that the makers and distributors of the movies and games were partly to blame for their loved ones’ deaths. The case was thrown out and the plaintiffs were ordered to compensate the video game and movie companies for their legal fees.

Negligent security is a legitimate claim, when you’re the victim, not the perpetrator! 2002, Edward Brewer sued Providence Hospital for $2 million. He claimed that the hospital was negligent because it had not prevented him from raping one of its patients. The judge ruled that any damage Brewer suffered due to his crime was his responsibility for choosing to commit the crime, and that the hospital had no legal duty to protect him from that choice.

In another role reversal, dog killer sues victim’s owner for mental anguish. 2003, Andrew Burnett sued Sara McBurnett and the San Jose Mercury News, claiming they had caused him to suffer mental anguish and post traumatic stress disorder. Burnett filed the lawsuit while serving a three-year sentence for killing defendant McBurnett’s dog in a road rage incident, claiming that the incident had caused his suffering. The case was thrown out.

Music piracy can get you in real trouble, but you have to be alive to do it. 2005, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) sued Gertrude Walton, who had passed away the year before at the age of 83, after having received notice of her death and a copy of the death certificate. The RIAA claimed that Watson had illegally downloaded and shared over 700 songs. Watson’s daughter claims that she never even had a computer in the house. Although RIAA dropped the case against Watson, it was only one of over 20,000 similar lawsuits filed by the association beginning in 2003. While some of the lawsuits are legitimate cases of piracy, defendants have included a twelve-year-old girl whose parents wound up paying RIAA $2,000, and families who have never owned a computer. Defendants can face charges of $150,000 per

Weak stomachs and gross-out TV don’t mix. 2005, Austin Aitken sued NBC for $2.5 million. He claimed that an episode of “Fear Factor” caused him “suffering, injury, and great pain.” He said that watching the contestants eat rats on television made him dizzy and light-headed, causing him to vomit and run into a doorway. He judge said the case was frivolous and threw it out.

Mistaken for a superstar? How insulting! 2006, Allen Heckard sued Michael Jordan and Nike founder Phil Knight for $832 million. He claimed to suffer defamation, permanent injury, and emotional pain and suffering because people often mistook him for the basketball star. Heckard dropped the lawsuit later that year.

So, what about the infamous McDonald’s coffee case – the one that kicked it all off? We all know that coffee is hot, that’s not in question. What most people don’t know is that McDonald’s was serving their coffee at about 180-190 degrees, hot enough to cause third degree burns in mere seconds. After 700 claims for serious injuries caused by their coffee, they continued to serve it at that temperature. 79-year-old, Stella Lieback suffered third degree burns, was in the hospital for eight days, had multiple surgeries and skin grafts. All she asked of McDonald’s was to pay her medical bills. They refused, prompting her and her family to take them to court. Contrary to popular belief, Stella did not walk away with millions.

]]> http://www.alltopmovies.net/the-10-most-ridiculous-lawsuits-of-all-time/feed/ 0 http://www.alltopmovies.net/12-most-unfortunate-product-names/ http://www.alltopmovies.net/12-most-unfortunate-product-names/#comments Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:39:51 +0000 admin http://alltopmovies.net/?p=159 1.Golden Gaytime (ice-cream)

2.Vergina (beer)

3.Pee Cola (soft drink)

4.Ayds (diet candy)

5.Shitto (sauce)

6.Megapussi (potato chips)

7.Wack off! (insect repellent)

8.SARS (drink)

9.Jussipussi (bread)

10.Cock flavoured mix (soup)

11.666 (cold medicine)

12.Vergatario (Chavez’ penis mobile phone)

We have done some scouting and found you the wackiest beds in the business!

Fancy a bite?

Have you ever wanted to curl up inside a tasty hamburger? Well worry no more because a new burger bed has been designed for all you fast food lovers! It even comes with a flexible styles allowing you to change it into a veggie, soya, chicken or just a pain bun bed, whatever takes your fancy!

A load of balls!

This rather odd yet weirdly cool design works on the basis of all the soft balls being connected together by plastic connectors, allowing you to scuplt it into any shape you want.

Still Sleeper

Wouldn’t it be great if the person we lived with was a still sleeper? No endless tossing and turning and fighting for pillows! In fact if you are looking for a way to train that person into sleeping still for the forseeable future, a body mattress bed might be the way forward for you!

His and Hers

The first few years (or days) of marriage can be blissful but after a while things can become a little boring. However, what better way than to spice it up in the bedroom and have your partner living on spikes while you sleep soundly on a bed of roses. Perfect!

When heaven falls from the sky

There is nothing more idyllic then climbing into your own bed at night, yet the thought of climbing to the ceiling may get a little tiring after a while!

However this bed (luckily) falls from the ceiling to give you the perfect vision of a God sent falling from the sky every time you come to bed.

Lets just hope after a few glasses of wine you remember your bed is on the ceiling and you need to get it down before you fall onto it in a drunken heap!

Rocking Yourself To Sleep

It looks good, it is possibly great fun for about a day but I am sure the novelty would wear off after a while if you have had a long day and work and really need a silent, peaceful and STILL sleep! I rest my case!

Set Sail To Your Dreams

The absolute dream bed for little kids! Setting sail every night to dream land and awaking every morning to the Pirates, I mean parents, waking you up in time for school!

However, by the time they start hitting their late teens this bed needs to be quickly disposed of. Not really a good impression for the ladies if your still jumping into a pirate bed and throwing your anchor out every night!

]]> http://www.alltopmovies.net/wackiest-beds-around-the-world/feed/ 2 http://www.alltopmovies.net/the-10-coolest-places-to-swim/ http://www.alltopmovies.net/the-10-coolest-places-to-swim/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:36:45 +0000 admin http://alltopmovies.net/?p=137

1. Bioluminescent Bay

Located in Puerto Rico, on Vieques Island, there is a shallow body of water with a narrow inlet known as Mosquito Bay. In each gallon of the bay there are 720,000 phosphorescent single-celled organisms that glow when they are agitated. It is a defense mechanism — the glowing is designed to daze whatever predator is bothering the tiny dinoflagellates. All together the bay, on a moonless night, will produce more than enough light to read. Swimming in Mosquito Bay will cause your limbs to be bathed in blue-green light. If you stop moving the light will dim, and eventually disappear completely, but each time you twitch it begins anew. Every time your kayak moves it too will be illuminated. It’s also easy to spot larger creatures; when manta rays or large jellies enter the mangrove swamps gentle rings of light form around them. If you scoop up a handful of the water you can watch individual glowing plankton roll down your arms and hands. And the salinity of the water, like the Dead Sea below, is high enough you can float sitting upright. Photographing Biobay isn’t easy, so there aren’t many high quality pictures of it, but enjoy the ones we found below.

2. Jellyfish Lake

12,000 to 15,000 years ago one of the limestone rock islands in the nation of Palau sealed itself off from the ocean and became a marine lake. A few jellyfish were sealed inside, and with virtually no predators, they began multiplying and evolving. Today more than 10 million jellyfish inhabit Ongeim’l Tketau, known as Jellyfish Lake to tourists. Their sting became evolutionarily useless, and has been lost over time, to the point that the jellies are completely harmless to swim with. Swimming in Jellyfish lake, surrounded by a translucent sea of rhythmically pulsing creatures, is known to be unbelievably serene. The jellies, varying in size from basketballs to blackberries, slowly undulate as they follow the path of the sun across the surface of the lake.

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