Google, circa 1960 (click for mondo size)

(From Fury.com, hat tip to Dopple-G)

Posted by: Jim at 02:48 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Watching a Saturday Night Live movie is _________.

My entry: ...like watching the first hour and a half of a three minute skit.

Posted by: Jim at 07:36 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Updated

My recounting of Strawberry Island got me thinking about islands and a trivia question popped into my head.

What is the largest fresh water, riverbound island in the world?

5 points if you can name it without searching, 2 points if you can find it in a search.

Update: Rob won the points and now I can tell you why this somewhat esoteric trivia bit ended up in my noggin.

Several years ago the officials of Grand Island erected very expensive billboards proclaiming Grand Island to be "The Largest Freshwater Island in the World!". After all, everybody 'knew' this to be true. Well, shortly after this they were informed (in rather embarrassing fashion by a local news channel) that Grand Island was most certainly not the largest freshwater island in the world. That honorable title goes to Manitoulin Island.

The honorable officials were horrified to have been exposed in such a gaff. A cursory search of great islands would have shown that Manitoulin was the largest freshwater one. They now had very expensive signs that were a constant reminder of their lack of fact checking before spending huge sums of money. They decided to have the signs changed (at no small expense) to lay claim to being the largest river island in the world.

It was pointed out to them that this was also not true (and easily verifyable). Bananal was in fact the largest island formed by rivers. Fortunately this was before the signs had been changed.

They then decided to forgo trying to use facts and had the signs changed to say "Grand Island. Greatest Freshwater Island in the World!" in exceptionally tacky 1960's perma-smile Pleasantville style.

It was then pointed out that this choice of words indicates by over-definition that they felt Grand Island was inferior to at least one saltwater island. The signs weren't changed again.

Posted by: Jim at 10:36 AM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
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1 Manitoulin island (I'm honest - I searched)

Posted by: Clancy at July 14, 2004 08:52 AM (EGVPL)

2 Nope. I figured that would be the first guess. Manitoulin is in a lake. We're looking for a riverbound island. I am so freaking devious, aren't I? Bwah hah hah hah hah!!

Posted by: Jim at July 14, 2004 09:13 AM (IOwam)

3 The UK .... ? nah ... don;t be silly. How about something a little more fruity ... Banana Island ? Or as it's more often abrv Bananal

Posted by: Rob at July 14, 2004 09:26 AM (kXZI6)

4 and just to prove I didn't search for it - Bananal is 5.2-million-acres making it the biggest fluvial island, in the world. It is located in the Center-West Region on the river of Araguaia with an average rainfall of 2,500mm ... ok so I googled

Posted by: Rob at July 14, 2004 09:30 AM (kXZI6)

5 but you gotta be impressed that I knew the word fluvial right?

Posted by: Rob at July 14, 2004 09:31 AM (kXZI6)

6 That is indeed an impressive mastery of vocabulary. Bananal is correct. 2 points to Rob!

Posted by: Jim at July 14, 2004 09:55 AM (IOwam)

7 These geography questions are killing me with frustration. I request one involving state capitals and not the hard ones, either. Start pandering to the lower denominators, please. Seriously, these are fun even if I haven't gotten a single one. Nope, not even close. In fact, even with the google explanation above from Rob, I have no idea where that island is located. I'm glad you are not writing the Trivial Pursuit geography questions!

Posted by: Random Penseur at July 14, 2004 10:00 AM (LlPKh)

8 RP - It's in Brazil.

Posted by: Jim at July 14, 2004 10:35 AM (IOwam)

9 Thanks! I actually assumed it might have been somewhere in Africa. How's the state capital question coming along? I've been boning up.

Posted by: Random Penseur at July 14, 2004 10:51 AM (LlPKh)

10 Sorry, I'm just not that good with state capitals. ;-)

Posted by: Jim at July 14, 2004 11:02 AM (IOwam)

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I really had to use the bathroom about a half hour ago.

I wonder what happened...

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No, really. I'm serious.

(Hat tip to Dopple-G)

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