Pointless Trivia

[BurnMeUp]

The first specification for bootable CD-ROM technology was called the “El Torrito” spec because it was formulated over lunches at a Southern California Mexican Restaraunt chain named El Torrito.

[Odieman]

The TWAIN driver that your scanner uses stands for “Technology Without An Interesting Name”.
Keith

[Spolvy]

The statue on the top of the Chicago Board of Trade building is Ceres, the Roman goddess.

She has no face. The architect who designed the building figured nobody would see it anyway.

[AWB]

*Originally posted by SmoothOperator *
**As they grow older, their points start to darken. **

I saw a picture of a kitten with two faces. It was whitish, but it had colored areas in places.

Oh, you mean the breed Siamese. I thought you meant conjoined.

[Rodd_Hill]

The skeleton of Marengo, Napoleon’s horse at the battle of Waterloo, is on display at the National Army Museum in Chelsea, London, England. Also on display is the bloodied saw used to amputate the leg of the Earl of Uxbridge, British cavalry commander at Waterloo.

The cap badge of Britain’s Royal Marines displays a globe within a laurel wreath, which shows Europe, Africa and Asia. The U.S. Marines’ cap badge features a globe with North and South America.

Pierrre Boule, author of “Bridge on the River Kwai,” wrote another novel on which another successful movie was based: “Monkey Planet” became “Planet of the Apes.”

[AWB]

*Originally posted by Montfort *

31 square miles, actually. Just the parts that lay on the non-Maryland sides of the Potomac. Don’t quote me on this, but I believe they were returned during Reconstruction in exchange for the Union pretty much stealing the land that became West Virginia during the Civil War. The present District of Columbia is exactly 69 square miles.

It’s not exactly 69 mi[sup]2[/sup]; it’s 68.25. The Virginia portion was return in 1846 mainly because the US government didn’t think they’d ever need it.

(I know, you said not to quote you on this. :D)

All of the border roads and waters that buffer the District between MD and VA are considered part of DC. Thus, the whole of the Potomac that lies between DC and VA, as well as Eastern, Southern, and Western Avenues are property of the District, whereas the Potomac is half-VA and half-MD above and below Washington.

Slightly wrong here: The waterfront east of Alexandria for about 200 ft. is considered Virginia.

And majorly wrong: The Virginia/Maryland border in the Potomac River runs mainly agains the Virginia side, so that the river is mostly Maryland territory. This is a sticking point for the Fairfax Co. (VA) Water Authority. Their intake off the Potomac is on the bank, and often isn’t fully underwater, limiting their water intake. They’ve asked permission (nicely) from the Maryland statehouse to install an intake in the middle of the river. Maryland said, “No.” It’s now gone to the US Supreme Court, as it’s their duty to resolve disputes between states.

[Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker]

Domestic cats’ pupils contract to vertical slits (of course).

Tigers’ pupils contract roundly.

Horses’ pupils contract to horizontal “bars” (bigger than slits).

A certain boxer was named after famous abolitionist (Cassius Clay from KY), and later in life changed his name to that of a person who had owned slaves (Muhammad).