TRIVIA BITS

 

• The first automobile racetrack in America was the 'Indianapolis Motor Speedway', which consisted of 3 million cobblestones.
• The first CD pressed in the US - for commercial release - was Bruce Springsteen's 'Born in the USA'.
• The first city to reach a population of 1 million people was Rome, Italy in 133 B.C. London, England reached the mark in 1810 and New York, USA made it in 1875. Today, there are over 300 cities in the world that boast a population in excess of 1 million.
• The first computer was built in 1823. The steam driven calculating machine, built by Charles Babbage, failed to work due to poor workmanship in the intricate parts. When rebuilt by the Science Museum of London in 1991 it worked.
• The first crime mentioned in the first episode of 'Hill Street Blues' was armed robbery.
• The first ever musical recording was to the tune of Yankee Doodle.
• The first film granted permission by the Chinese government to be filmed in the Forbidden City was The Last Emperor, 1987.
• The first flight of the Wright Brothers was a distance less than the wing span of a Jumbo Jet.
• The first footprints at Grauman's Chinese Theatre (now Mann's Chinese Theatre), were made by Norma Talmadge in 1927. Legend has it that she accidentally stepped in wet concrete outside the building. Since then, over 180 stars have been immortalized, along with their hands and feet and even noses (Jimmy Durante).
• The first hot air balloon was invented on 5 June 1783, it was made of paper and not entirely successful.