Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Merriam Webster Rawks!

Where is this a quote from?
"Burn rubber does not mean WARP SPEED!"

The Word of the Day for June 10 is:
warp speed \WORP-SPEED\ noun
: the highest possible speed

Example sentence: When Mario saw Helen enter the elevator, he grabbed his laptop and vaulted down the stairs at warp speed to get to the meeting room ahead of her.

Did you know?
"Warp speed" is an example of a phrase that entered the public consciousness through science fiction and eventually gained enough popularity to end up in the dictionary. The expression was popularized on the science-fiction show Star Trek in the 1960s. On the show, "warp speed" referred to a specific concept, namely the idea of faster-than-light travel. Within a relatively short period of time, Star Trek gained a devoted and intense following. Fans were soon discussing the fictional concepts of the show, including warp speed, with great enthusiasm. Eventually, the term "warp speed" was adopted by the general population. In the process, however, it lost its specific fictional meaning and came to mean simply "the highest possible speed."

Hint to trivia question:

15 comments:

Aaron said...

That doesn't make any damn sense. Everybody knows that warp speed is the speed at which light travels.

It's not unusual for slang or fictional terms to make it into the dictionary. I'm just waiting for a term to show up that was coined by myself.

The Lost Boys.

Ted said...

my understanding is that warp speed/drive/etc. has less to do with "speed" (since lightspeed is the accepted cosmic limit) than the actual warping of space(time?)in order to get from point A to point B.

Analogous to how you would fold a peice of paper to have something on one corner reach the other.

I went to wikipedia to try and understand it better, but my brain exploded.

Perhaps Seequin could clarify, as I occassionally suspect that she may actually have done it. ;)

.....

Waitin' for your email, Cas...

Blackpetunia said...

Oh, the Cory's.
Since I actually know movie trivia I can almost definitely tell you it's from License to Drive. One of the first movies that heather girl was in
bonus point - her name was mercedes in it....

locomocos said...

heather graham

Blackpetunia said...

That's it. So, what do I win? A visit from Casey??

jason said...

you're right caff x, it refers to bending space around the ship to traverse large distances in a short amount of time. I like the engine on the ship in Futurama better. It stands still, and moves the universe around it.

This and That said...

You can all relax now and the ceasefire can begin in Iraq, I saw a news report this morning that said 'The Corey's' are shopping around a reality show starring themselves. Thank God/Allah they will have jobs!

locomocos said...

a reality show with the Coreys? It's what i've always wanted!!!!!

AND - i'd probably watch it! but of course, it would be on VH1 or something....right after the Flavor Flav reality show and Celebrity Fit Club....

And the answer to the trivia question:
The Lost Boys
Congrats Aaron!
This was when Corey Haim was trying to get Michael and Staaaaar back to the house and the Frog Brothers were driving the convertable!

And of COURSE the Planet Express ship has the right idea with dark matter. Good think they have an ample supply of it due to Nibbler!
;D

When i was at the Sci-Fi Museum in Seattle, it was VERY refreshing to see Futurama included and displayed right along side the classics! I remember there was an interactive display featuring all the most famous space ships in Sci-Fi history: Enterprise, x-Wing Fighter, the ship from Aliens and Battlestar Gallactia - and The Planet Express Ship! It was AWESOME!!!

Blackpetunia said...

A-ron googled it. don't kid yourself.

Aaron said...

Amb-o, don't hate.

Blackpetunia said...

I'm not hating, is the truth hateful?

Spoony Quine said...

` In Star Trek, warp drive is faster-than-light travel by means of warping spacetime, whereas hyperdrive involves going into another dimension at one point in space and returning at another point in space.

` At Warp 1, it would take 11 hours to cross the solar system and two million years to get to the Andromeda galaxy.

` At Warp 9.9999, it would take .2 seconds to cross the solar system and ten years to get to Andromeda. (Which is why the Federation had apparently never tried to get to the next galaxy using warp drive.)

` Yeah, I'm a nerd.

locomocos said...

yes, but you're our favorite nerd!
I'm impressed!

Anonymous said...

Not on topic, but very cool news: Futurama is coming back!! 13 new episodes on Comedy Central by 2008. Link:


http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/back_to_the_futurama_entertainment_don_kaplan.htm

~Jade

Spoony Quine said...

` OMFG! Just like Family Guy!!!