Don't let it ever be said that large corporations are without their choice moments of whimsy.  The Google Mac blog has just a such a piece about the Mac version of Google Earth.  If you've ever used the Mac version, you're familiar with the way the program loads up.  Have you ever grabbed the zoom slider and made your way through the Earth's atmosphere to see what lies directly under the program's starting point?

According to Dan Webb, a software engineer for the Mac version of Google Earth, if you were to fly straight down you'd end up in Chanute, Kansas.  No, it's not the center of the continental United States.  No, there's not a fascinating example of satellite imagery located there.  The reason is much, much simpler:  Chanute is Webb's hometown.

He assures us all that Chanute is a great starting point for Google Earth.  I've never been there, so I'll just take his word for it.  If you've ever wondered how decisions get made about software, here's one humorous example.