Quizzing @ CowRouter

QUIZ 33

2008-10-01T12:05:00.003+05:30

Q1
It was created in the 1880s by Lunsford Richardson, a Selma, North Carolina pharmacist, as a salve for treating colds and pneumonia. Richardson later moved to Greensboro, North Carolina and began marketing it in the honor of his brother-in-law, Dr. Joshua Vick, a Selma physician. What are we talking about?

Q2
He is a Turkish software engineer. Originally from the Turkish Konya, he obtained a B.Sc. degree in Computer Engineering and Information Science from Bilkent University in Ankara, and earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Stanford University. His research at Stanford focused on Web search and efficient PDA. He developed his namesake service as an independent project in January 2004. Who?

Q3
Connect: Margaret Thatcher, Queen Elizabeth II, David Beckham, Sir Cliff Richard, Tony Blair, Robbie Williams, Sir Richard Branson (N.B. Besides the fact that they are all Britons) (***GENIUS POINT***)

Q4
It was named by Alexandre Brongniart for the extensive marine limestone exposures of the Jura Mountains, in the region where Germany, France and Switzerland meet. What?

Q5
Joseph Marie François Spoturno began selling essences derived from flowers in Grasse, and then peddled his scents to the barbers of Paris. His genius, however, was in marketing and in recognizing that the bottle made the perfume. He had bottles designed by the great ceramist René Lalique. His first great successes were his Rose Jacqueminot scent, in a bottle by Baccarat, in 1904 and L'Origan in 1905. How Do we know him better as?

Q6 Identify the animal shown in the picture above. (Haven't seen one of those of late.)

ANSWERS

QUIZ 32

2008-09-30T11:22:00.002+05:30

Q1
In 1964, he failed the U.S. Armed Forces qualifying test because his writing and spelling skills were sub-par. However, in early 1966, the tests were revised and he was reclassified as 1A. This classification meant he was now eligible for the draft and induction into the U.S. Army. This was especially important because the United States was engaged in the Vietnam War. When notified of this status, he declared that he would refuse to serve in the United States Army and publicly considered himself a conscientious objector. he stated that "War is against the teachings of the Holy Qur'an. I'm not trying to dodge the draft. We are not supposed to take part in no wars unless declared by Allah or The Messenger. We don't take part in Christian wars or wars of any unbelievers." he also famously said in 1966: "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong ... They never called me nigger. Identify the person.

Q2
Because of Beijing's air pollution levels, he decided to withdraw from
the marathon at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He won the 2008 Berlin
Marathon breaking his own world record (2:03:59). Name him.

Q3
In 1844, 23-year-old Henry , the son of a cattle merchant, emigrated to the United States from Rimpar, Bavaria. He settled in Montgomery, Alabama, where he opened a dry-goods store. In 1847, following the arrival of Emanuel, the firm added "Brothers" to its name. With the arrival of their youngest brother, Mayer, in 1850, the firm changed its name again and the more popular name was established. Its legacy ended on September 15, 2008. Identify the firm.

Q4
The Scottish biologist and pharmacologist noticed a halo of inhibition
of bacterial growth around a contaminant blue-green mold
Staphylococcus plate culture. He concluded that the mold was releasing
a substance that was inhibiting bacterial growth and lysing the
bacteria. He grew a pure culture of the mold and created history. Which
discovery are we talking about?

Q5
Cavi Electrici Affini Torino was founded in Italy by Virginio Bruni Tedeschi. The company's was then taken over by RPG Enterprises in the year 1982. It has an annual turnover of Rs 1,952 crores (US$ 434 million). It exports to over 110 countries across the world. Which company?

Q6
Identify the building shown in the above image. (Hint: It's hard to Believe)

The Early Bird: No Correct Entries

ANSWERS

QUIZ 31

2008-09-29T11:49:00.005+05:30

Q1
Little is publicly known of the man's identity or that of the commander of the lead tank. Shortly after the incident, British tabloid the Sunday Express named the man as Wang Weilin, a 19-year-old student; however, the veracity of this claim is dubious. The People's Republic of China government made few statements about the incident or the people involved. In a 1990 interview with Barbara Walters, then-CCP General Secretary Jiang Zemin was asked what became of the man. Jiang replied in English, "I think never killed." Who?

Q2
"Could I forget that the event [Ali Ağca's assassination attempt] in St. Peter’s Square took place on the day and at the hour when the first appearance of the Mother of Christ to the poor little peasants has been remembered for over sixty years at Fátima, Portugal? For in everything that happened to me on that very day, I felt that extraordinary motherly protection and care, which turned out to be stronger than the deadly bullet." Who said this?

Q3
Some of the inventions he theorized included: wall of light, anti-gravity airships, teleportation, time travel, thought photography, Flying Machine (without the use of an airplane engine, wings, ailerons, propellers, or an onboard fuel source). After his death, the FBI was contacted by the War Department, and his papers were declared to be top secret and eventually confiscated. Who?

Q4
Connect: The Mirror Escape, The Milk Can, The Chinese Water Torture Cell, Suspended straitjacket escape, Erik Weisz

Q5
It has since been claimed that acoustic analysis of the recording reveals the presence of the missing "a". A digital audio analysis conducted by Peter Shann Ford, an Australia-based computer programmer, claims that X did, in fact, say "a man", but the "a" was inaudible due to the limitations of communications technology of the time. X has expressed his preference that written quotations include the "a" in parentheses. Identify X.

Q6
Identify the person shown in the above image. (Hint: If he were alive, he would be the owner of NBC.)

The Early Bird: Nikhil Dasgupta, Mumbai

ANSWERS

QUIZ 30

2008-09-26T11:47:00.006+05:30

Q1
The idea came to Swiss engineer, George de Mestral one day after returning from a hunting trip with his dog in the Alps. He took a close look at the burrs (seeds) of burdock that kept sticking to his clothes and his dog's fur. He examined them under a microscope, and noted their hundreds of "hooks" that caught on anything with a loop, such as clothing, animal fur, or hair. What did this lead to?

Q2
The first was sent in the United Kingdom on 3 December 1992, from Neil Papworth of Sema Group (now Airwide Solutions) using a personal computer to Richard Jarvis. The contents were two words, "Merry Christmas". What was it?

Q3
Many believe he's the only head of state to use the Internet daily as
a means of communicating with his subjects as well as people outside
the country. The royal site also details royal activities - state
visits, aid to the poor - and some of the East Asian country's modern
history. Name him.

Q4
It was founded in 1248 by William II, Count of Holland, who was
supposed to become Holy Roman Emperor. He started the construction of
a castle in a forest near the sea in Holland, where he intended to
live after his coronation. He died in battle before he could be
crowned. It is now the seat of government, but, somewhat anomalously,
not the capital of the country. What are we talking about?

Q5
In 16th century Europe when peasant homes were commonly thatched, the home was constructed in such a manner that animals could crawl into the thatch and find shelter from the elements, and would fall out during heavy rain. Which phrase did this lead to?

Q6
Leonardo da Vinci is frequently credited with introducing the general principle of _____ _______ in his 1508 Codex of the eye, Manual D, where he described a method of directly altering corneal power by submerging the eye in a bowl of water. FITB.

Q7
She married him in November of 1582 while pregnant with his child. She
was 26 years old when she married, whereas he was only 18. This age
difference and her pregnancy have been used by some historians as
evidence that this was a "shotgun wedding" forced on a reluctant
husband by her family. They also infer that his persistent traveling
suggested an unloving marriage. Three children were born by her:
Susanna in 1583 and Twins Hamnet and Judith in 1585. Who are
we talking about?

Q8
Who is the Greek god of wine?

Q9
It is a medieval book on magic originally attributed to a King. It is sometimes used as a grimoire. It is divided into two books. Book I contains conjurations, invocations and curses to summon and constrain spirits of the dead and demons, forcing them to do the operator's will. It also describes how to find stolen items, become invisible, gain favour and love, and so on. Book II describes various purifications which the operator (termed "exorcist") should undergo, how they should clothe themselves, how the magical implements used in their operations should be constructed, and what animal sacrifices should be made to the spirits. Which book?

Q10
It has been a Eurasian practice at least since Neolithic times. Ötzi the Iceman, dating from the fourth to fifth millennium BC, was found in the Ötz valley in the Alps and had approximately 57 carbon 'ones' consisting of simple dots and lines on his lower spine, behind his left knee, and on his right ankle. Other mummies bearing them and dating from the end of the second millennium BC have been discovered at Pazyryk on the Ukok Plateau. What are we talking about?

Q11
Identify the person shown in the above image. (Hint: A famous movie has been made and named after her.)

The Early Bird: Vivek, Baroda

ANSWERS

QUIZ 29

2008-09-25T10:25:00.005+05:30

Q1
It was developed in 1946 by Earl Silas (1907-1983) in the USA. He developed plastic containers used in households to contain food and keep it airtight. In 2008, it was ranked #2 on Fortune Magazine’s coveted ‘Most Admired Household Products’ list. Which company/brand?

Q2
It is derived from the long-necked lutes of western Asia. It became a youth phenomenon in western countries in the 60s after Beatle George Harrison took lessons from an Indian and played it in songs including "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)," "The Inner Light," "Love You To," and "Within You Without You". Much later, it was also used by heavy metal band Metallica for the intro to "Wherever I May Roam". Which instrument?

Q3
It is the oldest stock exchange in Asia. It was established in 1875. It is also the biggest stock exchange in the world in terms of listed companies. Which stock exchange?

Q4
In 1894 Dr. John Harvey was superintendent of a famous hospital and health spa in Battle Creek, Michigan. His younger brother, Will Keith, was the business manager. The brothers invented many foods that were made from grains which they forced through rollers and rolled into long sheets of dough. One day, after cooking some wheat, the men were called away. When they finally returned, the wheat had become stale. They decided to force the tempered grain through the rollers anyway. Surprisingly, the grain did not come out in long sheets of dough. Instead each wheat berry was flattened and came out as a thin flake. What did they invent?

Q5
He was born to Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro and José Dinis Aveiro. His second given name was chosen after then-U.S. president Ronald Reagan, who was his father's favourite actor at the time. He started playing competitive football from the age of 8. His childhood nickname was Kluivert (from Patrick Kluivert). Who?

Q6
ASDA was founded as Associated Dairies & Farm Stores Ltd in 1949 in Leeds. It was bought by a company and now operates as the overseas (UK) version of the company's chain. Which company?

Q7
Although the author writes under a famous pen name, the first book was penned, without the middle initial. Bloomsbury feared that the target audience might be reluctant to buy books written by the opposite sex. It requested that the author use two initials, rather than reveal the first name. As the author had no middle name, the author chose a middle initial, from a paternal relative. Who?

Q8
When it was initially released in 1975, over 67 million Americans went
to see that movie, making it the first-ever summer "blockbuster". It
became the first movie to reach the coveted $100 million mark. Which
movie?

Q9
Name this famous fashion designer cum businessman who knew the art of
publicity to his best. His 1980 ad featuring Brooks Shield (then 15
year old, was paid a staggering $500,000) as the model for his
product, increased sale manyfold. When his daughter was kidnapped,
people thought it was another publicity stunt. Who?

Q10
"I could not continue the same life, the same useless life which I had
for fourteen years." she said in March 1967. In late 1966 she walked
into the U.S. embassy in New Delhi, India, and announced to Ambassador
Chester Bowles her desire to defect to the West. Name her.

Q11
Identify the person shown in the above image.

The Early Bird: No Correct Entries

ANSWERS

QUIZ 28

2008-09-24T11:48:00.006+05:30

Q1
The game was played widely in ancient India by the name of Moksha Patamu, the earliest known Jain version Gyanbazi dating back to 16th century. The game was called "Leela" - and reflected the Hinduism consciousness around everyday life. Impressed by the ideals behind the game, a newer version was introduced in Victorian England in 1892, possibly by John Jacques of Jacques of London. This game made its way to England, and was eventually introduced in the United States of America by game- pioneer Milton Bradley in 1943. Which game?

Q2
The earliest etymological explanation can be attributed to Geoffrey of Monmouth in Historia Regum Britanniae. The name is described as originating from King Lud, who had allegedly taken over the city and named it Kaerlud. This was slurred into Kaerludein and finally....what?

Q3
Born and raised in Henryville, Indiana, Sanders passed through several professions in his lifetime. Sanders first served his finger-lickin cuisine in 1930 in the midst of the Great Depression at a gas station he owned in North Corbin, Kentucky. The dining area was named "Sanders Court & Café" and was so successful that in 1936 Kentucky Governor Ruby Laffoon granted Sanders the title of honorary Kentucky Colonel, in recognition of his contribution to the state's cuisine. He later went on to open which chain of restaurants?

Q4
Reginald Kenneth Dwight was born and raised in Pinner, Middlesex in a council house of his maternal grandparents, with whom his newlywed parents (Sheila Eileen (Harris) and Stanley Dwight) were living. When he began to seriously consider a career in music, his father tried to steer him toward a more conventional career such as banking. But, he continued pursuing his career in music and has won five Grammy awards and one Academy Award. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him #49 on their list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. Who?

Q5
It is a patented predictive technology, developed by Tegic Communications, recently acquired by Nuance Communications. It was used by Texas Instruments PDA Avigo during the late 90s. Its main competitors are iTap, created by Motorola, Zi's eZiText, and SureType, created by RIM. Which technology?

Q6
After completing an apprenticeship to a confectioner in 1876, Milton Snavely founded a candy shop in Philadelphia, which failed six years later. After trying unsuccessfully to manufacture candy in New York, he returned to Pennsylvania, where he founded the Lancaster Caramel Company, whose use of fresh milk in caramels proved successful. In 1900, he sold his caramel company for $1,000,000 and began to concentrate on chocolate manufacturing. In 1903, he began construction of a chocolate plant in his hometown, Derry Church, Pennsylvania, which later came to be known as _________, Pennsylvania. FITB

Q7
An estimated quarter of a million people watch the race live from the banks of the river, around seven to nine million people on TV in the UK, and an overseas audience estimated of around 120 million. The first race was in 1829 and it has been held annually since 1856, with the exception of the two world wars. Members of both teams are traditionally known as blues and each boat as a "Blue Boat". Which race?

Q8
It was the first video game to achieve widespread popularity in both the arcade and home console markets, and it is credited with launching the initial boom in the video game industry. It was a revised version of Magnavox Odyssey's tennis game. Which game?

Q9
Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, from a book written by Davy de la Pailleterie, are better known as?

Q10
It is an error in speech or deliberate play on words in which corresponding consonants, vowels, or morphemes are switched. It is named after the Reverend William Archibald (1844–1930), Warden of New College, Oxford, who was notoriously prone to this tendency. Eg. Three cheers for our queer old dean.

Q11
Identify the Academy-award and Tony-award winning author, shown in the above image.

The Early Bird: No Correct Entries

ANSWERS

QUIZ 27

2008-09-23T00:00:00.002+05:30

Q1
It is an English legal charter, originally issued in the year 1215. It was written in Latin. It required the King to proclaim certain rights, respect certain legal procedures and accept that his will could be bound by the law. It explicitly protected certain rights of the King's subjects, whether free or fettered — most notably the writ of habeas corpus, allowing appeal against unlawful imprisonment. It was the most significant early influence on the extensive historical process that led to the rule of constitutional law today. What?

Q2
An an early form of the sport was played in ancient Greece. The game was called "Poona" in India during the 18th century, and British Army officers stationed there took a competitive Indian version back to England in the 1860s, where it was played at country houses as an upper class amusement. Which game?

Q3
Leonhard Rauwolf described it as: 'A beverage as black as ink, useful against numerous illnesses, particularly those of the stomach. Its consumers take it in the morning, quite frankly, in a porcelain cup that is passed around and from which each one drinks a cupful. It is composed of water and the fruit from a bush called bunnu.' It became more widely accepted after it was deemed a Christian beverage by Pope Clement VIII in 1600, despite appeals to ban the "Muslim drink". What?

Q4
White Chardonnay, or the black Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier are requirements in order to make......what?

Q5
Name the famous uncle of Morty and Ferdie, who made his first appearance in Plane Crazy (May 15, 1928).

Q6
Rania Al-Yassin was born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents from
Tulkarm. When she was 17, she and her family fled during the Gulf War
to Egypt, where she attended primary and secondary school at New
English School in Kuwait, then earned a degree in Business
Administration from the American University in Cairo. After her
graduation in 1991, she worked at Citibank and Apple Computer in
Cairo, Egypt. How do we better know her as?

Q7
It was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa, also known as The Mother. It is an "experimental" township in Viluppuram district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India near Puducherry in South India. Paper and coin currency is not used. Residents PT account numbers to connect to their central account. Visitors, however, are requested to get a temporary account. Which township?

Q8
Jacques-Theodule was a French jeweller who ran the London branch. He
was the brother of Louis and Pierre. Louis popularized the wristwatch
whilst Pierre was a one-time owner of the Hope Diamond. What is the
surname of these three brothers?

Q9
Born to Stefano and Paola Maino in Lusiana, a little village 20 km from Vicenza, Italy, she spent her adolescence in Orbassano, a town near Turin being raised in a Roman Catholic family and attending a Catholic school. Her father, a building contractor, and former Fascist soldier, died in 1983. In 1964, she went to study English at The Bell Educational Trust's language school in the city of Cambridge. While enrolled in this certificate course she met her future husband, who was enrolled at the time in Trinity College at the University of Cambridge. She is a devout Roman Catholic. Who?

Q10
The pattern on the butterfly's back in the movie posters is not the natural pattern of the Death's-Head Hawk Moth. It is, in fact, Salvador Dalí's "In Voluptas Mors", a picture of seven naked women made to look like a human skull. Which movie?

Q11
Identify the car brand, whose logo is shown in the above image.

The Early Bird: Murli, Thiruvananthapuram

ANSWERS

QUIZ 26

2008-09-22T09:54:00.007+05:30

Q1
Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class is a mobile trash compactor, the last operational unit in a massive line created by the Buy n Large Corporation to gather and compact the waste created by the humans that used their products. His best friend is Hal. How do we know him better as?

Q2
A former SS agent, he took part in a German mountaineering expedition to the Himalayas, intending to climb Nanga Parbat. He was detained by the British but managed to escape to Tibet, where he stayed for seven years and is said to be the most influential person in the Dalai Lama's childhood. Who?

Q3
He was the president of four countries Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia and Columbia and is called 'The George Washington of South America'. Identify.

Q4
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the phrase most likely originated from children's games such as hopscotch and snakes and ladders. The earliest recorded use of it in print is from a 1952 edition of the Economic Journal. Which phrase?

Q5
It is the brand name, first made in Australia in 1906 and as of 2005 sold in almost 180 countries. Owned by the Sara Lee Corporation since 1984, it is the dominant product of its kind in some countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, where it has about two-thirds of the market. It was developed by Australia-based Scottish-born inventor William Ramsay, who named it as a homage to his wife, Annie Elizabeth Meek Ramsay, a New Zealander. Which brand?

Q6
Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, Albino Luciani, Karol Józef Wojtyła,.......complete the sequence.

Q7
He was an 8-year-old acrobat, the youngest of a family act called the "Flying Graysons". A gangster named Boss Zucco had been extorting money from the circus and killed Grayson's parents, John and Mary, by sabotaging their trapeze equipment as a warning against defiance. With the help of his mentor, he investigated Zucco and collected the evidence needed to bring him to justice. Eventually, he became a crime-fighter wit his partner. In the 1980s, he went independent and assumed the identity of Nightwing. Who?

Q8
It is a Sicilian criminal secret society which is believed to have first developed in the mid-19th century in Sicily. The real name is Cosa Nostra, which means 'Our Thing'. Many believe, the more famous term used for them is just a literary concoction. Who are we talking about?

Q9
Situated in Westminster, London, the more common name is actually the name of the bell inside the structure rather than the structure itself. What?

Q10
It was founded in 1988. It's name, translated, means The Base. The name was created by Abu Ebeida El-Banashiri. The origins of the group can be traced to the Soviet war in Afghanistan, during which the group was financially supported by the US government. Identify the group.

Q11
Identify this famous actor, in his childhood photograph, shown in the above image. (Hint: He grew up and later went cuckoo on Oprah :))

The Early Bird: Parth Mehta, Mumbai

ANSWERS

QUIZ 25

2008-09-19T00:09:00.003+05:30

Q1
The word _______ was coined by Sher Shah Suri during his brief rule of India between (1540-1545). It is said that, when he was shown the new coin, he remarked '________', meaning beautiful. From then the name stuck and is prevalent even today.

Q2
According to legend, if the discoverer of the Triforce has a balance of power, wisdom, and courage, the Sacred Realm will become a paradise, and they will receive the Triforce as a whole, along with the true force to govern all. If they are unbalanced, the Sacred Realm will become a world of evil, and they will receive the part of the Triforce that represents the characteristic they most demonstrate, with the remaining parts of the whole transferring into the people in Hyrule who most exemplify the other two traits. The Triforce was first distributed as such starting in Ocarina of Time, as the Triforces of Power, Wisdom and Courage were each held by Ganondorf, the Princess, and Link, respectively. What are we talking about?

Q3
During Bruce Willis's scenes, he is constantly told, "That moment where she doesn't talk to you at the restaurant? I knew." In response, Bruce later states to Tess, "If everyone's so damn smart how come the movie made $675 million worldwide?" This is in reference to Willis's hit movie, The Sixth Sense. In which movie?

Q4
Connect: Ray, A Clockwork Orange, San Francisco, compander

Q5
A newsgroup FAQ written by Jim Taylor (a prominent figure in the industry) claims that four years later, in 1999, the ___ Forum stated that the format name was simply the three letters "_____" and did not stand for anything. The ___ Forum website has a section called "____ Primer" in which the answer to the question, "What does ___ mean?" reads, "The keyword is 'versatile.' However, the text of the press release announcing the specification finalization only refers to the technology as "___", making no mention of what (if anything) the letters stood for. Which technology?

Q6
Various anecdotes have discussed his absentminded nature. In one story, he reportedly took Charles Townshend on a tour of a tanning factory and while discussing free trade, he walked into a huge tanning pit from which he had to be removed. Another episode records that he put bread and butter into a teapot, drank the concoction, and declared it to be the worst cup of tea he ever had. In another example, he went out walking and daydreaming in his nightgown and ended up 15 miles (24 km) outside town before nearby church bells brought him back to reality. Name this philosopher and pioneer.

Q7
It was founded in 1922 by a group of telecommunications companies—Marconi, Radio Communication Company, Metropolitan-Vickers, General Electric, Western Electric, and British Thomson-Houston to broadcast experimental radio services. The first transmission was on 14 November of that year, from station 2LO, located at Marconi House, London.
What?

Q8
"One of the first things I did was to work up a costume. A vital, visual part of the character. I had to know how he looked ... before I did any breakdowns. For example: A clinging power so he wouldn't have hard shoes or boots, a hidden wrist-shooter versus a web gun and holster, etc. ... I wasn't sure Stan would like the idea of covering the character's face but I did it because it hid an obviously boyish face. It would also add mystery to the character...." What's he talking about?

Q9
It plays during the opening sequence and was composed by Danny Elfman in 1989, after series creator, Matt, approached him requesting a retro-style theme. The theme as used for the opening sequence has been edited many times to coincide with edits of various lengths for the opening sequence. In addition, there have been extended edits and re-recordings for lengthened opening sequences. Several versions of the saxophone solo riff have been created over the course of the series. A slightly different arrangement of the theme usually plays over the end credits of the show. The theme has won an Emmy and other awards? Which theme?

Q10
"(His) death deprives our country of a part of itself. He was unique and irreplaceable. More than 20 years ago, he burst upon the scene with an impact that was unprecedented and will probably never be equaled. His music and his personality, fusing the styles of white country and black rhythm and blues, permanently changed the face of American popular culture. His following was immense, and he was a symbol to people the world over of the vitality, rebelliousness, and good humor of his country." Who said this and regarding whom?

Q11
Identify the great story-teller shown in the above image.

The Early Bird: Kush, Ahmedabad

ANSWERS

QUIZ 24

2008-09-18T00:00:00.001+05:30

Q1
Adrian Lamo, Kevin Mitnick and Kevin Poulsen became famous because of..what?

Q2
He is known as the first cyborg, as he used himself as a guinea pig and installed a chip inside of him, through which he was able to open doors and turn his own computer on just by coming near them. Who?

Q3
He was listed on Time Magazine's 2007 and 2008 Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world. While in active war duty in Vietnam, he attempted to commit suicide by swimming out to sea, but changed his mind more than a mile out. On September 4, 2007, he mapped his own genome, becoming the first person to do so. Who?

Q4
It is a secret society based at Yale University. Members have been known as "Bonesmen". Both, George W. Bush and John Kerry were members, and both have abstained from giving any information about the society. Which society?

Q5
He visited the Gandhi family in India in 1959, with assistance from the Quaker group the American Friends Service Committee. The trip to India affected him in a profound way, deepening his understanding of non-violent resistance and his commitment to America’s struggle for civil rights. “Since being in India, I am more convinced than ever before that the method of nonviolent resistance is the most potent weapon available to oppressed people in their struggle for justice and human dignity. In a real sense, Mahatma Gandhi embodied in his life certain universal principles that are inherent in the moral structure of the universe, and these principles are as inescapable as the law of gravitation.” Identify the person.

Q6
Although "The Sultan of Swat" is usually remembered as having been very overweight, this is largely because of oft-repeated showings of newsreels taken late in his career. He was a large man who did indeed battle weight gain (especially given his sometimes careless diet), but he did not become significantly overweight until his last few seasons. Name the famous slugger.

Q7
Footage showing her dress clearly blowing above her waist was removed from the final movie because authorities considered it inappropriate, even though stills from this footage were used in print ads for the film. The first take was shot at Manhattan's Lexington Avenue at 52nd Street and the second on a sound stage. The sound stage footage is what made its way into the final film, as the original on-location footage's sound had been rendered useless by the over excited crowd present during filming. Which film?

Q8
Modi was born in Montclair, New Jersey, his parents were Indian immigrants of Gujarati and Tamil heritage. “Almost as a joke to prove friends wrong, and half as an attempt to see if what I was told would work (that anglicized names appeal more to a white-dominated industry), I put ‘_________’ on my resume and photos." His audition callbacks rose by 50%. Who?

Q9
Connect: Congo, Jurassic Park, ER, Coma

Q10
His middle name is actually Nelliyattu, and was born in Mahe, Pondicherry, India. Praying with Anger was his first work and was released in 1992, in which he played a lead role. He is known to copy Subhash ghai in one aspect; he appears directly or indirectly in all of his movies. Identify.

Q11 Identify the animal shown in the above image.

The Early Bird: No Correct Entries

ANSWERS

QUIZ 23

2008-09-17T00:00:00.002+05:30

Q1
Born on New Year's Eve, he played for 6 football clubs, scoring a total of 167 goals, before he entered the fray of managing teams. His son, Darren, is the current manager of Peterborough United. Identify the person.

Q2
He was, initially, created due to the implementation of a 'duplicating ray'. Another version was created by The Joker. His powers include : freeze vision, flame breath, X-ray vision which can see ONLY through lead, etc. His weakness is blue kryptonite. Who are we talking about?

Q3
Timex said that the industry standard used to be eight-twenty but that looked too much like a frown and created an unhappy look. So it was changed to.....what?

Q4
_______ is the allotrope of carbon where the carbon atoms are arranged in an isometric-hexoctahedral crystal lattice. FITB.

Q5
Maheshdas Bhat died in the battle of Malandari Pass, attempting to quell unrest amongst Afghan or Pashtun tribes in Northwest India. We know him better as?

Q6
He was born Chandra Mohan Jain. As a youth, he became an atheist; he took an interest in hypnosis and was briefly associated with communism & socialism, ideoligies which he later berated. He moved to America in 1981, and created the Oregon Commune. But, he later announced that acts of bio-terror using Salmonella were organized by the Commune by Ma Sheela. Coupled with immigration violations, he was forced to leave America and returned to India and died in 1990. Who?

Q7
The erroneous publication in 1888 of a premature obituary by a French newspaper, condemning him for his invention, declaring him as "The merchant of death", forced him to leave a legacy which would benefit mankind. Who or what are we talking about?

Q8
In 1997, Entertainment Weekly magazine named him the number one movie legend of all time. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked "Bogie" the greatest male star. Star of films like The Maltese Falcon and The African Queen, he was part of the rat pack. Name this famous actor.

Q9
It is a plot device that motivates the characters or advances the story, but the details of which are of little or no importance otherwise. Eg. The Maltese Falcon, Dead Man's Chest. What?

Q10
What does GNU stand for?

Q11
Identify the person in the above image. (She's English, neither Belgian nor French:))

The Early Bird: Ashok Ninjar, Jaipur

ANSWERS

QUIZ 22

2008-09-16T00:00:00.007+05:30

Q1
It has been criticized for its involvement in censorship in the People's Republic of China. According to author Ethan Gutmann, the company and other telecommunications equipment providers supplied the Chinese government with surveillance and Internet infrastructure equipment that is used to block Internet websites and track Chinese on-line activities. The company says that it does not customize or develop specialized or unique filtering capabilities to enable governments or regimes to block access to information and that it sells the same equipment in China as it sells worldwide. Leaked documents suggests that the company sees information control in China as a good commercial opportunity. Which company?

Q2
He is the second highest ranking after the Dalai Lama in the Gelugpa (Dge-lugs-pa) sect of Tibetan Buddhism. As of now the actual person has been kidnapped by the Chinese government and has been replaced by a person of their own. Name the title.

Q3
Published in 1948, this book earned overwhelming popular and critical
acclaim. Most reviewers deemed the novel to be one of the best war
stories ever written, praising the author's realistic depiction of men
at war. The novel focuses on the adventures of a fourteen-man infantry
platoon stationed on a Japanese-held island in the South Pacific
during World War II In the course of the novel, the men struggle to
survive and find meaning in their lives. Which book?

Q4
He is a longtime animal rights activist and maintains a vegan diet "heavy on fruit, vegetables, tofu, and other soy products." Despite starring in 'shoot 'em up' films, he has voiced criticism of hunters, saying, "I don't go for hunting. I just don't like killing creatures. Unless they're trying to kill me. Then that would be fine." Name this Oscar winning director.

Q5
It was a samurai with no lord or master during the feudal period (1185–1868) of Japan. The word literally means "drifting person". They were considered inferior to samurai. What are we talking about?

Q6
It was an organization founded in 1955 by Reverend James Warren Jones. It is best known for the death of over 900 of its members that occurred in Guyana as well as for the murder of Congressman Leo Ryan, the first and only murder of a Congressman in the line of duty in United States history. Which organization?

Q7
According to the Hebrew Bible, it was she who was the first woman and not Eve. But, due to an argument between herself and Adam, she transformed into a demon and is the reason why we sing lullabies to children before they go to sleep. Who?

Q8
What's the motto of google?

Q9
Almon Strowger was motivated to invent it after having difficulties with the local telephone operators. He was said to be convinced that the local manual telephone exchange operators were sending calls to a competing undertaker business. What did he invent?

Q10
Though known primarily for her great beauty on camera and for being the first actress to pose nude on screen, she also co-invented an early form of spread spectrum communications technology, a key to modern wireless communication. Who?

Q11
Identify this genius of information, who also invented many devices, including rocket-powered flying discs, a motorized pogo stick, and a flame-throwing trumpet for a science exhibition, shown in the above image.

The Early Bird: No Correct Entries

ANSWERS

QUIZ 21

2008-09-15T09:33:00.005+05:30

Q1
___________ was born on 16th September, 1945, to Mr. L. Ct. L. Palaniappa Chettiar and Mrs. Lakshmi Achi in Kandanur in the Sivaganga District, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. He was born into an affluent business family. __________ did his schooling from the prestigious Madras Christian College Hr.Sec.School, Chennai. After graduating with a B.Sc. degree in Statistics from The Presidency College, he completed his Bachelor of Law (B.L.) from the University of Madras. And a MBA from Harvard University. Who are we talking about?

Q2
"I can't see any downside to this to be honest, going from a cult football club that black cab drivers in London all like and patronise you [about], to being the richest club in the world is just staggering. I always kind of knew that 40 years of loyalty would be repaid somehow and I always knew that a day would come when we stagger everyone in football. It'll be nice to know that every gallon of petrol a Manchester United fan buys is going into our transfer kitty." Who said this is and what is he/she talking about?

Q3
His backstory in The Complete Visual Guide indicates he was born on a pirate ship during a typhoon in the Indian Ocean, and that he was trained to fence by an Italian. Rob Kidd wrote an ongoing book series, about him and his crew on the Barnacle as they battle sirens, mermaids and adult pirates while looking for various treasures. The first book, The Coming Storm, was published on June 1, 2006. On the website for the movie, it is explained that he once worked for the East India Trading Company and captained the Wicked Wench. When he refused to transport slaves, he was branded a criminal and his ship was ordered sunk by Lord Cutler Beckett, a company agent. He then bargained with the Flying Dutchman to raise his ship. Who are we talking about?

Q4
It destroyed 13,200 houses, 87 parish churches, 6 chapels, 44 Company
Halls, the Royal Exchange, the Custom House, St Paul's Cathedral, the
Guildhall, the Bridewell Palace and other City prisons, the Session
House, four bridges across the rivers Thames and Fleet, and three city
gates, and made homeless 100,000 people, one sixth of the city's
inhabitants at that time. It happened around today, in the year 1666.
What happened?

Q5
Unsubstantiated sources cite different models for the face. One indicated the then-recently widowed Isabella Eugenie Boyer, the wife of Isaac Singer, the sewing-machine industrialist. "She was rid of the uncouth presence of her husband, who had left her with only his most socially desirable attributes: his fortune and -- his children. She was, from the beginning of her career in Paris, a well-known figure. As the good-looking French widow of an American industrialist she was called upon to be Bartholdi's model for..........what?

Q6
Herbert George was a teacher, artist, game maker and author. He wrote Floor Games (1911) followed by Little Wars (1913). Little Wars is recognised today as the first recreational wargame and he is regarded by gamers and hobbyists as "the Father of Miniature War gaming." But we know him better for the science fiction he created. Who are we talking about?

Q7
In the 1950s, ____ contained a patented, mild cleansing ingredient, into the soap category. It was positioned - then and now - as a "beauty bar" with one-fourth cleansing cream that moisturizes skin while washing as opposed to the drying effect of regular soap. Advertisements reinforced the message by showing the cream being poured into the beauty bar. In 1979, the phrase "cleansing cream" was replaced with "moisturizer cream". In 1979, a Pennsylvania dermatologist showed that ____ dried and irritated skin significantly less than ordinary soaps, based on which Unilever started aggressive marketing and won more than 24% of the market by 2003. FITB.

Q8
Robert Ford shot James in the back of the head-- killing him on April
3, 1882. How do we better know his as?

Q9
Due to superstition it is mostly avoided by builders. Based on an internal review of records, Dilip Rangnekar of Otis Elevators estimates that 85% of the buildings with their elevators do not have......what?

Q10
The "Mountains of the Moon" are poetically known to geographers as
Mount Ruwenzori. Besides being the source of the Nile, they constitute
an amazing phenomenon. What is it?

Q11
Identify the person in the above image.

The Early Bird: Nikhil, Mumbai

ANSWERS

QUIZ 20

2008-09-12T00:00:00.002+05:30

Q1
While many stores and businesses were in the practice of extending credit to their customers, or allowing them to set up charge accounts, the idea behind _______ was that the same card could be used to pay a variety of merchants. In 1950, the first _________ cards were given out to 200 associates of Frank McNamara, mostly salespeople who often needed to dine with clients. _________ had signed up 27 restaurants in New York City. Membership grew quickly as both new customers applied for the card and more restaurants signed on. By the end of 1950, _______ had 20,000 customers and was accepted at over 1000 restaurants. FITB

Q2
Founded by the stationer Claus-Johannes Voss, the banker Alfred Nehemias and the engineer August Eberstein in 1906, the company began as the Simplo Filler Pen company producing up-market pens in the Schanzen district of Hamburg. Their first model was the Rouge Et Noir in 1909 followed in 1910 by the pen that was later to give the company its new name, named after a mountain in the Alps. The first pen (a fountain pen) known as the Meisterstück or Masterpiece (the name used for export) was produced in 1925. Today the brand can be found also on other luxury goods besides pens. Which brand?

Q3
In a famous murder case the ______ that a victim wore eventually led to the arrest of his murderer. When a body was found in the English channel in 1996 by a fisherman who caught the body, and the 4.5 kg anchor attached to it through the victim's belt, in his net about 10 km from the English coast, a ______ was the only identifiable object on the body. Since the ______ movement had a serial number and was engraved with special markings every time it was serviced, British police traced the service records from _______, and Ronald Joseph Platt was identified as the owner of the _______ and the victim of the murder. In addition British police were able to determine the date of death by examining the article and since the ________ had a reserve of two to three days of operation when inactive and it was fully waterproof, they were able to determine the time of death within a small margin of error.
Which specific article?

Q4
The first _______ product, a fragrance called Early American _______ for women, was introduced in 1937, closely followed by ________ for men in 1938. The iconic original ships used on the packaging were the Grand Turk and the Friendship. Other ships used on packaging include the Wesley, Salem, Birmingham and Hamilton. Which brand?

Q5
The company was formed in 1915 by the theater "chain" pioneer William Fuchs, who formed company by merging two companies he had established in 1913: Greater New York Film Rental, a distribution firm, which was part of the Independents; and Box Office Attractions Company, a production company. The company's name bears the anglicized version of Fuchs. Which company?

Q6
The standard from 1895 to 1930 was the Nagant M1895. Double-action & seven chambered, the Nagant's cylinder spins clockwise until the hammer is cocked. While the cylinder does not swing out, it can be spun around to randomize the result. Due to the deeply seated rounds unique to the Nagant and that the primers are concealed, it would be very difficult to tell from the outside where the live round was and which were spent; this would add to the uncertainty of the results. Which dangerous game originated from the M1895?

Q7
The first written usage of the English word appeared in Edward Gibbon's journal, in longhand, referring to "bits of cold meat" as a '______'. It was named after John Montagu, 4th Earl of ________, an 18th-century English aristocrat, although he was neither the inventor nor sustainer of the food. It is said that Lord _______ was fond of this form of food because it allowed him to continue playing cards, particularly cribbage, while eating without getting his cards greasy from eating meat with his bare hands. FITB

Q8
It derives from an Old High German word “bizzo” meaning “mouthful” (related to the English words “bit” and “bite”) and was brought to Italy in the middle of the 6th century AD by the invading Lombards. This is the origin favoured by the Oxford English Dictionary for...what?

Q9
On March 18th 1965, they peed on a Stratford garage wall at the
studios of ABC, Romford (U.K.) and were fined 5 Pounds Sterling. Which
band?

Q10
In the 1936 Olympics, Adi Dassler, the founder of Adidas, met one of
the athletes. Dassler had brought along a suitcases full of spikes and
he persuaded the athlete to use spikes. The athlete surprised many by
winning four gold medals. Which athlete?

Q11
Identify the iconic statue shown in the above image.

The Early Bird: No Correct Entries

ANSWERS

QUIZ 19

2008-09-11T00:00:00.007+05:30

Q1
Connect: Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela

Q2
It was devised and created in the early 1870s by Christopher Sholes, a newspaper editor and printer who lived in Milwaukee, in an effort to reduce the frequency of typebar clashes. What?

Q3
Identify X and Y:

X: I understand you live with your parents.

(Audience laughs)

Y: At least we don't have to make appointments to meet with our parents.

Q4
It is originally a Hawaiian word for "fast". It has been suggested that "______" means "What I Know Is".. On March 15, 2007, ______ entered the online Oxford English Dictionary. Any guesses?

Q5
Charles II of England was concerned by the unregulated copying of books and passed the Licensing Act of 1662 by Act of Parliament, which established a register of licensed books and required a copy to be deposited with the Stationer's Company, essentially continuing the licensing of material that had long been in effect. What originated from this?

Q6
The very earliest known examples of the graphic are attributed to Harvey Ball, a commercial artist in Worcester, Massachusetts. He devised the face in 1963 for an insurance firm that wanted an internal campaign to improve employee morale. Ball never attempted to use, promote or trademark the image; it fell into the public domain in the United States before that could be accomplished. As a result, Ball never made any profit for the iconic image beyond his initial $45 fee. The Internet version made its debut on September 19, 1982 by Scott E. Fahlman. What?

Q7
It was named after Harold Blaatand, King of Denmark and Norway, as his teeth were stained blue. He was known for his unification of previously warring tribes from Denmark (including now Swedish Scania, where the technology was invented), and Norway and that's why his name was deemed fit for the technology. Which technology?

Q8
Winston Churchill was a member of this club. He resigned from its
membership in 1913 in protest at the blackballing of a friend, Baron
de Forrest. Guy Burgess, the spy, was also a member, as was E.M.
Forster, the English novelist. The club was used for the filming of
the famous fencing scene in the James Bond movie Die Another Day. It
is also the place where a a £20,000 wager results in a member leaving
hurriedly and promising to be back by 8.45 pm on Saturday 21 December
1872. Which club are we talking about?

Q9
The first ________ was developed by Peter A. Meijer, the founder of the Meijer Company, in 1906. This was too sticky and broke too easily, so it was quickly abandoned. Accompanied by his assistant, Keegan C. Marr, Meijer strove to create a stronger, less sticky type of ___, but was forced to give up in 1908 and declare bankruptcy. Fill in the blank.

Q10
Robert Cade, Dick Malonis, Harry James Free, and Dana Shires were the medical researchers at the University of Florida. The Gators football coach, Ray Graves, was frustrated with the performance of his players during the hot summer football practices, and asked the team doctor, one of Cade’s associates, for his insight. Cade and his research team came across the unique mix of water, sodium, sugar, potassium, phosphate, and lemon juice that is now known as......what?

Q11
Identify the winner of twenty-six Oscars, shown in the above image.

The Early Bird: Anonymous

ANSWERS

QUIZ 18

2008-09-10T00:00:00.004+05:30

Q1
What is paraskavedekatriaphobia?

Q2
He was born and raised in Exeter, New Hampshire, USA. He dabbled with a musical career, creating effects with a synthesizer, and self-producing a children's cassette entitled SynthAnimals which included a collection of tracks such as "Happy Frogs" and "Suzuki Elephants"; it sold a few hundred copies. He then formed his own record company called Dalliance, and in 1990 self-published a CD entitled Perspective, targeted to the adult market, which also sold a few hundred copies. In 1994, while on holiday in Tahiti, he read Sidney Sheldon's novel The Doomsday Conspiracy, and decided that he could do better. His website states that he is a devout Christian. Who?

Q3
Jack Smith and his Indian partner chose the name as it included the letters HTML - the coding used behind all web pages. What did they end up naming?

Q4
What nationality was Christopher Columbus?

Q5
In 1984, she won the Miss Wasilla Pageant, then finished second in the
Miss Alaska pageant, at which she won a college scholarship and the
"Miss Congeniality" award. She admits to smoking marijuana as a youth,
during the time when possession was legal in Alaska, though she says
she did not enjoy it. Her first name is Sarah and she has been in the
news recently. Who are we talking about?

Q6
Connect: Allan Quatermain, Tom Sawyer, Captain Nemo, Mina Harker, Rodney Skinner, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Dorian Gray.

Q7
He is a Malyalee. It was at Edinburgh that he met with Professor
Victor Kiernan, the famed Marxist and became a strident communist. She
is a Bengali. In 1967, she left for London, where she worked with Air
India at Bond Street for four years. While working in London, she
became associated with the anti-imperialist, and anti-war movements
during the Vietnam War and Marxist ideology. She also attributes many
of her political ideals to the economist Devaki Jain, her professor at
Miranda House. Which husband and wife duo are we talking about?

Q8
He gave himself the title "His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor _________ Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular. " Who?

Q9
Identify the poem from which the following lines are taken:
.....
.....
.....

When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light ....

Then the traveller in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so

In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark ...

Q10
The game of football as played at _______ School between 1750 and 1823 permitted handling of the ball, but no-one was allowed to run with it in their hands towards the opposition's goal. There was no fixed limit to the number of players per side and sometimes there were hundreds taking part in a kind of enormous rolling maul. The innovation of running with the ball was introduced some time between 1820 and 1830, traditionally after William Webb Ellis broke the local rules by running forwards with the ball in a game in 1823. Shortly after this the Victorian mind turned to establishing written rules for the sports which had earlier just involved local agreements, and boys from _______ School produced the first written rules for their version of the sport in 1845. Which school?

Q11
Identify the symbol, or the organisation to which it belongs, shown in the above image.

The Early Bird: No Correct Entries

ANSWERS

QUIZ 17

2008-09-09T07:04:00.007+05:30

Q1
The business began in 1940, with a restaurant opened by siblings Dick and Mac in San Bernardino, California. Their introduction of the "Speedee Service System" in 1948 established the principles of the modern fast-food restaurant. The original mascot was a man with a chef's hat on top of a hamburger shaped head whose name was "Speedee." Which fast-food chain?

Q2
The word is derived from the Sanskrit Jagannātha (meaning "Lord of the universe") which is one of the many names of Krishna from the ancient Vedic scriptures of India. In rare instances in the Rath Yatra's past, people had been crushed accidentally as the massive 45 foot tall, multi-ton chariot slipped out of control, with others suffering injury in the resulting stampedes. This sight led the Britons of the time to contrive the word "________" to refer to examples of unstoppable, crushing forces. Fill in the blank.

Q3
His best friend is Forsythe. His arch-rival is Reginald. He is in a love triangle with a rich, spoiled brat and Elizabeth. Dilton is the school nerd. And Marmaduke is the dyslexic muscle man at Riverdale high. Who or what are we talking about?

Q4
It is originally a Czech entity, having been founded in 1894 in the
town of Zlin. It has extensive operations in India and Pakistan, with
most Indians thinking it is an Indian company and most Pakistanis
thinking that it is a Pakistani company. Which company are we talking
about?

Q5
What is the full name of the team for which Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa drive for?

Q6
Which cricketer has scored the most runs without scoring a century in test cricket?

Q7
He was an American businessman, popularly known as the inventor of the safety razor. While he did improve the design of the safety razor (patent US775134), his true invention was an inexpensive, high profit-margin stamped steel disposable blade and a unique business model that later became known as freebie marketing. Who?

Q8
The name of this city is the French rendering of the name shikaakwa, meaning “wild leek”. Etymologically, it literally means 'striped skunk', and was a reference to wild leek, or the smell of onions. After the great fire of 1871, the world's first skyscraper was built there in 1885. Which city?

Q9
Complete the list: Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho, Fabio Cannavaro, .....and?

Q10
In electronics, it is the time between alternating current power cycles. In computing, it is the duration of one tick of the system timer interrupt. In physics, it is the time it takes for light to travel one fermi. What?

Q11
Identify the person in th above image. (Hint: Phoebe's bf and Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Apu and many others)

The Early Bird: S. Vijaya, Chennai

ANSWERS

QUIZ 16

2008-09-08T00:00:00.001+05:30

Q1
The company is engaged in an ongoing advertising and media campaign to convince the public that _____ should not be used as a verb. To this end, the company has written to publications that have used _______ as a verb, and has also purchased print advertisements declaring that "you cannot '______' a document. Despite their efforts, many dictionaries continue to mention the use of "_____" as a verb, including the Oxford English Dictionary. Which company?

Q2
In ancient Greece, athletes ate large quantities of _____ because it was believed that it would lighten the balance of blood. Roman gladiators were rubbed down with _____ to firm up their muscles. In the Middle Ages ______ were such an important food that people would pay for their rent with _______ and even give them as gifts. Doctors were known to prescribe ______ to facilitate bowel movements and erection, and also to relieve headaches, coughs, snakebite and hair loss. The ______ was introduced to North America by Christopher Columbus on his 1492 expedition to Hispaniola. Fill in the blanks.

Q3
It is a linen cloth bearing the image of a man who appears to have been physically traumatized in a manner consistent with crucifixion. It is kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Italy. It is believed by many to be the cloth placed on Jesus of Nazareth at the time of his burial. Which cloth?

Q4
It WAS once considered the most isolated tree on Earth — the only one within more than 400 kilometres (250 mi). It was a landmark on caravan routes through the Sahara in northeast Niger. 'WAS' because the tree was knocked down by an allegedly drunk Libyan truck driver in 1973 (To see how drunk he was, look at the photo given when I publish the answers :)).

Q5
The title is based on a conversation between Sean Connery and his wife. After Diamonds Are Forever (1971) he told her he'd 'never' play James Bond again. Her response was for him to ___________. She is credited at the end of the film for her contribution. As a result, it was the first Bond movie to use a non-Fleming originated title. The movie?

Q6
He broke the wicket at the non-strikers end during his run-up to bowl while Bill Brown was out of his ground. He had done the same thing to Brown in the game against an Australian XI earlier on the tour, but his running out of Brown infuriated the Australian media, and someone run out in this way is now sometimes said to have been........what?

Q7
He lives relatively frugally, still residing in the home he bought in
1958 for $31,500, driving his own car, and allotting himself an annual
salary from his investment company of about $100,000. His birthday is on August 30. Who is this?

Q8
Identify: Danny, Rusty, Linus, Virgil, Turk, Yen, Frank, Basher, Saul, Livingston and Reuben. (Hint: Count the number of names and think Hollywood)

Q9
Jumeirah, Jebel Ali, and Deira are all........what?

Q10
Who was the first president to live in the White House?

Q11
Identify the famous man, who suffered from von Recklinghausen's disease, in the above image.

The Early Bird: No Correct Entries

ANSWERS

QUIZ 15

2008-09-05T00:21:00.003+05:30

Q1
_________is a design created in 1971 by Carolyn Davidson, a graphic design student at Portland State University. She met Phil Knight while he was teaching accounting classes and she started doing some freelance work for his company, Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS). BRS needed a new brand for a new line of athletic footwear it was preparing to introduce in 1972. Knight approached Davidson for design ideas, and she agreed to provide them, charging a rate of $2 per hour. What design?

Q2
Guns-N-Roses are so upset with a blogger that FBI agents recently
arrested the 27-year-old blogger Kevin Cogill. Cogill appeared in
court in the afternoon wearing a T-shirt; his girlfriend sat court and
afterward said, "Rally the troops," but declined further comment. Why
was he arrested?

Q3
The photograph was taken by the professional photographer Charles O'Rear, a resident of St. Helena, Napa County, for digital-design company HighTurn. Although O'Rear's focus was on photographing winemaking in the Napa Valley, the hill didn't have grapevines when the photograph was being taken in the late 1990s. This was because of a bug infestation in the grapes as a result of which the entire vineyard had to be pulled out, and the hill was covered by only grass. The photograph was taken aside the highway 12/121, and by a hand held camera. What are we talking about?

Q4
James Douglas Muir has a large antique car and motorcycle collection of various international marques. The collection spans from the early 1900s to the late 1960s. He constantly works on his collection in his spare time. The collection includes an original 1912 Stanley Steamer and a very rare 1964 Studebaker Avanti, as well as classic sports cars like Bugattis. He is also a promoter of the mechanical crafts through a column in Popular Mechanics and his educational activities. How do we better know him as?

Q5
He has been described by Capt. Arthur Hastings as: 'He was hardly more than five feet four inches but carried himself with great dignity. His head was exactly the shape of an egg, and he always perched it a little on one side. His moustache was very stiff and military. Even if everything on his face was covered, the tips of moustache and the pink-tipped nose would be visible. The neatness of his attire was almost incredible; I believe a speck of dust would have caused him more pain than a bullet wound. Yet this quaint dandified little man who, I was sorry to see, now limped badly, had been in his time one of the most celebrated members of the Belgian police.' Identify the person.

Q6
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster first created a bald telepathic villain bent on dominating the entire world. He appeared in the short story "The Reign of the ________" from Science Fiction #3, a science fiction fanzine that Siegel published in 1933. Siegel re-wrote the character in 1933 as a hero, bearing little or no resemblance to his villainous namesake. What did Jerry create?

Q7
Farrokh Bulsara was born in Stone Town on Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania. His parents, Bomi and Jer Bulsara, were Parsis from the Gujarati region of the then province of Bombay Presidency in British India. The family surname is derived from the town of Bulsar (also known as Valsad) in southern Gujarat. As Parsis, the family practiced the Zoroastrian religion. He attended St. Peter's School, a boarding school for boys in Panchgani near Bombay (now Mumbai), India. At St. Peter's, he was a bright student who excelled at several sports. At school, he formed a popular school band, called The Hectics, for which he played the piano. He later became lead singer and co-founder of a famous rock band, which was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. Identify the famous guy.

Q8
He was born Krishna Bhanji in Snainton, near Scarborough, Yorkshire, England, the son of Anna Lyna Mary (née Goodman), an actress and model, and Rahimtulla Harji Bhanji, a medical doctor. His father, an Ismaili Muslim, was born in Kenya of Indian Khoja Gujarati descent, as his paternal grandfather was a spice trader who had moved from India to Zanzibar, where his father lived until moving to England at the age of fourteen. He grew up to be an Oscar winning actor. Who?

Q9
Poketto Monsutā in Japanese means 'Pocket Monsters'. It's also related to one of the most successful and lucrative media franchises in the world. What are we talking about?

Q10
In April, 2003, British Army Major Charles Ingram, his wife Diana and college lecturer Tecwen Whittock were convicted for cheating on the UK version of the show. The allegation was that when host Chris Tarrant asked a question, Whittock, who was part of the audience, would cough in order to guide Ingram to the correct answer. Members of the audience raised suspicions over Whittock's coughing and the police were called in to investigate. The programme was not broadcast until after the trial. The defence claimed that Whittock simply suffered from allergies, but all three were found guilty and given suspended sentences. They maintained their innocence. Which show?

Q11
Identify the animal in the above image. (Hint: In cartoons, he spins like a tornado and talks gibberish.)

The Early Bird: Anusha M, Mysore

ANSWERS

QUIZ 14

2008-09-04T10:12:00.003+05:30

Q1
Complete the sequence (list not exhaustive): The Whistleblowers, The American Soldier, George W. Bush, The Good Samaritans, You, __________.

Q2
He was an American newspaper magnate and leading newspaper publisher. He was engaged in a bitter circulation war with Joseph Pulitzer's New York World which led to the creation of "yellow journalism"--sensationalized stories of dubious veracity. He exercised enormous political influence, most notably in creating public frenzy which pushed the U.S. into war with Spain in 1898. His life story was a source of inspiration for the lead character in Orson Welles' classic film, Citizen Kane. Who?

Q3
He is an entrepreneur and a life peer. He is best known as the founder and chief executive of Cobra Beer. Born in Hyderabad, India, He received the CBE in 2004 for services to business. In 2005, he became Chancellor of Thames Valley University — the United Kingdom's youngest university chancellor at the time. In 2006, he was chosen as a cross-bench life peer with the title Baron of Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea by the House of Lords Appointments Commission, becoming the first-ever Parsi in the House of Lords. In 2008 he was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman by the president of India. Identify the person.

Q4
If the official line separating India and China is called the McMahon Line, what is the line separating India and Pakistan called? (Not LOC)

Q5
X recently participated as a panel speaker at the launch of a new book "Y at 100" in Mumbai, India, commemorating the 100th anniversary of Y's birth. X revealed that Y has had an influential role in his life, and that after Shakespeare, he considers Y's works to be his favorite. He particularly enjoyed the romanticism of one of HER books; at the event, he orally interpreted one of the dramatic scenes from the novel.
Identify X and Y.

Q6
The _______ are a series of geoglyphs located in the ______ Desert, a high arid plateau that stretches more than 80 km (50 miles) between the towns of ______ and Palpa on the Pampas de Jumana in Peru. They are believed to have been created by the Nazca culture between 200 BC and AD 700. There are hundreds of individual figures, ranging in complexity from simple lines to stylized hummingbirds, spiders, monkeys, fish, sharks, llamas and lizards. The largest are over 200m across. What?

Q7
X told Y: 'Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?'. Y joined X at his company, but unfortunately for X, Y was the reason X was ousted from his own company. Identify X and Y.

Q8
It is a ninth-century Mahayana Buddhist monument in Indonesia. The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.[1] A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa. It is Indonesia's single most visited tourist attraction. Identify the monument.

Q9
Gandhiji developed the practice of Satyagraha, but it's roots lie in the ideas of a man for which Gandhiji himself has said the following: (He) was a great writer, philosopher, poet, and withal a most practical man, that is, he taught nothing he was not prepared to practice in himself. He was one of the greatest and most moral men America has produced. At the time of the abolition of slavery movement, he wrote his famous essay. He went to gaol for the sake of his principles and suffering humanity. His essay has, therefore, been sanctified by suffering. Moreover, it is written for all time. Its incisive logic is unanswerable. Who?

Q10
This guy's uncle was said to be the great-great-great-grandfather of Cherie Blair. Who? (Hint: Our American Cousin, National Treasure 2, Ford, 16, Good Friday)

Q11
Identify the logo.(Hint: Now, Google using Google)

The Early Bird: No Correct Entries

ANSWERS

QUIZ 13

2008-09-02T15:17:00.009+05:30

Q1
This king of a country was a devoted tennis player and is in the
International Tennis Hall of Fame. Name him.

Q2
My very first work was The Rain Patters, the Leaf Quivers. Being born
to Debendranath my ancestral home is at Jorashanko Thakurbari.
Identify me.

Q3
He was Sri Lanka's best known resident as also a famous science
fiction writer and visionary. He wasn't harmed by the tsunami and his
family was safe. He died recently. Who are we referring to?

Q4
Standard Games (later Service Games) was found in 1940 by Martin Bromely, Irving Bromberg, and James Humpert to provide coin-operated amusements for American servicemen on military bases. Over the years it has gone a number of transformations with a blue, speedy, small and spiny mammal becoming its iconic mascot. A pioneer in its field, this company is today known more famously as.... what?

Q5
Also known as the three-finger-salute, it was invented by David Bradley and is used in most operating systems, albeit with different functions. What am I talking about?

Q6
Nobel Prize winners in her family: Husband, Daughter, Son-in-Law and Herself. Who?

Q7
Two Indian built Ships witnessed history in the making. The Treaty of
Nanking, ceding Hong Kong to the British was signed onboard an Indian
built ship in 1842. The national anthem of USA "Star Spangled Banner",
was composed by Francis Scott Key onboard another Indian built ship
when the Ship was on a visit to Baltimore. Name them.

Q8
It's been called the most famous front page in the history of
newspapers. 300,000 copies were sold in one day. The article was
reprinted in newspapers throughout France and around the world. What
did it feature?

Q9
Oryza sativa is a plant of the grass family. What is it popularly
known as?

Q10
Some have been sold for as much as $1.5 million but since 1950, a clause has restricted it's resale value to $1. One of the buyers: Michael Jackson. What are we talking about?

Q11
Connect the images shown above.

The Early Bird: Digant Verma, Mumbai

ANSWERS

QUIZ 12

2008-09-02T00:00:00.007+05:30

Q1
He was awarded a knighthood in 1992 and became Lord of Tonbridge in
1997, on the recommendation of outgoing Prime Minister John Major.
While many cricketers have been awarded a knighthood, he was one of
only two to be given a life peerage for their services to cricket (the
other being Learie Constantine). Who?

Q2
3M Company is an American multinational conglomerate corporation with a worldwide presence. It produces over 75,000 products, including: adhesives, abrasives, laminates, passive fire protection, dental products, electrical materials, electronic circuits, and optical films. 3M has operations in more than 60 countries – 29 international companies with manufacturing operations, and 35 with laboratories. 3M products are available for purchase through distributors and retailers in more than 200 countries, and many 3M products are available online directly from the company. What does, or did, 3M stand for?

Q3
Massachusetts state law makes it mandatory for large department stores
to stock emergency contraception pills in its pharmacies. This is to
help women who may have missed taking the pill the previous day from
getting pregnant. It is also to help rape victims avoid getting
pregnant and these generic pills are allowed to be dispensed without
prescription. In 2006, three women walked in to a store run by a
retail giant and asked for the pill. The store didn't have it in
stock. The women brought a symbolic law suit against the retail giant,
asking for just $25 in damages (plus legal fees). Which was this giant
retail chain?

Q4
The Wyoming Business Council's travel and tourism department keeps
receiving calls asking about scenery in the movie. The callers wish to
encounter the Wyoming experience. "When we tell them it was shot in
Canada, they're still interested in Wyoming," said Michell Howard,
manager of the council's film, arts and entertainment office. "They
don't hang up and call Alberta. They're intrigued in the story." Which
movie?

Q5
The first known reference to the name was by the inventor, Robert Chesebrough in his U.S. patent: "I, Robert Chesebrough, have invented a new and useful product from petroleum which I have named…what?

Q6
X said "I've had a great relationship. In Delaware, the largest growth in population is Indian-Americans moving from India. You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not joking." X later said the remark was not intended to be derogatory: "It was meant as a compliment." and the Indian-American activist who was on the receiving end of X's comment stated that he was "100 percent behind X because he did nothing wrong." Who

Q7
It is located on the eastern shore of the island of Zealand and partly
on the island of Amager. Which city is this?

Q8
In 1984 11 computer scientists in Beijing, China had a vision – to
create a company that would bring the advantages of information
technology to the Chinese people. With RMB200,000 (US$25,000) in seed
money and the determination to turn their research into successful
products, the 11 engineers and researchers set up shop in a loaned
space – a small, one-story bungalow in Beijing. The company they
founded, Legend, opened the new era of consumer PCs in China. That
company has grown into a colossal giant. It's new name literally means
"The new Legend". Which company is this?

Q9
She was influenced to become an actress by her mother's love of
movies. Attending the premiere of 'Gone with the Wind' in Atlanta, the
nine-year-old girl rushed out into the parade of stars and sat on the
lap of Laurence Olivier, star Vivien Leigh's husband. She would
eventually work with Olivier in 1979, in a television production. She
has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6801 Hollywood Blvd. She
is the first performer to have a star on the Walk of Fame. It was laid
on February 9, 1960. Name her.

Q10
It is named after German-American cousins Charles _____ and Charles Erhardt who launched their chemicals business Charles ______ and Company from a building at the intersection of Harrison Avenue and Bartlett Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 1849. There, they produced an antiparasitic called santonin. This was an immediate success, although it was the production of citric acid that really kick-started _______'s growth in the 1880s. ________ continued to buy property to expand its lab and factory on the block bounded by Bartlett Street; Harrison Avenue; Gerry Street; and Flushing Avenue. That facility is still utilized for backshop purposes. Which company?

Q11
Identify the company whose previous logo is shown in the image. (Please excuse me for the paint JOB; P.S. Nice one Arnab)

The Early Bird: No Correct Entries

ANSWERS

QUIZ 11

2008-09-01T00:00:00.002+05:30

Q1
The Japanese call it "Rondon". The Icelanders call it "Lundúnir". The
Welsh call it "Llundain". Which city is this?

Q2
What's a toadstool?

Q3
A boxer, Norman Selby, known as Kid _____, American welterweight champion from 1898–1900. There are apocryphal tales to the effect that he had many imitators and had to adopt the term to distinguish himself. Others say that during one match, he pretended to be dazed and weak after being hit in order to trick his opponent into attacking him. But then he came back and surprised his opponent with an attack, and the announcer said "which is the _______?" (It's the alleged origin of a phrase.)

Q4
State the common designation of the following: Conrad Hilton Jr. (1950–1951), Michael Wilding (1952–1957), Mike Todd (1957–1958), Eddie Fisher (1959–1964), Richard Burton (1964–1974), Richard Burton (1975–1976), John Warner (1976–1982), Larry Fortensky (1991–1996)

Q5
From the moment of its birth, this company faced the hostility of the
world's biggest shipping firm, the British India Steamship Corporation
(otherwise known as the BI) and its doughty chairman, Lord Inchcape.
Inchcape used every trick in the trade to try and destroy the new
entrant but failed. From a single liner firm in 1919, they became
India's flagship carrier in 1947. Which company?

Q6
He was known for directing some famous movies such as The Mystic Masseur, Cotton Mary, The Proprietor, Lumière & Company and In Custody. A lesser known fact is that he and James Ivory, his business partner, were also 'partners in a relationship'. Who?

Q7
On May 10, 1918 collector W. T. Robey went to the post office to buy
the new stamps, and as he wrote later, when the clerk brought out a
sheet of stamps, "my heart stood still". Why?

Q8
The radio station WHRB (95.3FM Cambridge), is run exclusively by
students of this University, and is given space on the university
campus in the basement of a freshman dormitory. Known for its
top-notch classical, jazz, underground rock and blues programming,
WHRB is also home of the notorious radio "Orgy" format, where the
entire catalog of a certain band, record, or artist is played in
sequence. Which university?

Q9
"Let other people play other things — the king of game is still the
game of kings".
This verse is inscribed on a stone tablet in
Gilgit, north of Kashmir, near the fabled silk route from China to the
West. In one ancient sentence it epitomizes the feelings of the
players today. Which sport?

Q10
Dr. Harry Coover said 'If somebody had a chest wound or open wound that was bleeding, the biggest problem they had was stopping the bleeding so they could get the patient back to the hospital. And the consequence was—many of them bled to death. So the medics used the spray, stopped the bleeding, and were able to get the wounded back to the base hospital. And many, many lives were saved.' It was used in the Vietnam War. What was he talking about?

Q11
Identify the eccentric person in the image above. (SURe, it's not a REAL photo.)

ANSWERS

QUIZ 10

2008-08-29T00:00:00.001+05:30

Q1
This country's top level domain (TLD) .cym means "ruler". With Internet
TLDs opening up, and suffixes such as .london and .dubai becoming
available, the country has spent $50,000 to try and find ways of
protecting its .cym so that it is not picked up by some other party
through the popular usage of CYM, the internet abbreviation for "Check
your mail." Which country?

Q2
Legend states that one of the Mughal Emperors, probably Akbar was on a
journey to Kashmir. On the way, his caravan stopped at a spring in
Punjab to quench their thirst. Remarking at the quality and purity of
the water, Akbar said the local language equivalent of `Wow!' That
spring became known as `Wow' and the city gets its name from this
event. Which city?

Q3
The bolts came at 9.69 seconds, 19.30 seconds and at 37.10 seconds.
They also came together for the first time since 1984. What am I
talking about?

Q4
In 2003, it became the first African country to issue polymer
banknotes. Which country?

Q5
He turned 65 on 11th August 2008. He was born in the old walled city
of Delhi in a house believed to have been the home of a "Wazir"
(Minister) in the court of Bahadur Shah Zafar — the last Mughal
emperor of the 18th century. He revealed in his memoirs that he was
critically injured after falling from a mango tree as a teenager, and
he considers this his first direct experience with death. He has since
survived many assassination attempts. Who are we talking about?

Q6
He was originally called 'Jumpman' but 'Jumpman' did not have his name for very long, however. The company had to prepare for America, which included naming the characters. As the story goes, they were mulling over what to name Jumpman when the landlord, Segale, arrived at the warehouse, demanding the overdue rent payment. When he left, the staff had a new name for Jumpman: what?

Q7
Ever heard of a person called Philip the Arab? Who was he?

Q8
Nicknamed the "Gray Lady" for its staid appearance and style, it is
often regarded as a national newspaper of record, meaning that it is
frequently relied upon as the authoritative reference for modern
events. Founded in 1851, the newspaper has won 98 Pulitzer Prizes,
more than any other newspaper. Which newspaper are we talking about?

Q9
According to Wikipedia, he is the third bestselling poet in history
after William Shakespeare and Lao Tse. He was born in Lebanon (at the
time, Mount Lebanon district was in Syria) and spent most of his life
in the United States. Who are we talking about?

Q10
Ever heard of a mathematician and astronomer writing poetry? One of
his most famous and most quoted lines:

"The Moving Finger writes: and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it."

Identify the poet.

Q11
Identify the person who created the two images.

ANSWERS

QUIZ 9

2008-08-28T00:58:00.000+05:30

Q1
Ida Minerva Tarbell (November 5, 1857–January 6, 1944) was an author
and journalist. She was known as one of the leading "muckrakers". Her
famous expose of the nefarious business practices of an oil company
established her as a pioneer of investigative journalism. The
reputation of the Oil company in the public eye suffered badly after
publication of her expose in 1904, leading to a growing outcry for the
government to take action against the company. By 1911, with public
outcry at a climax, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the Oil
company must be dissolved and split into 34 companies. Which was this
oil company?

Q2
The history of this retail chain can be traced back to the 1940s when
its founder began his career in retailing. He began working at a JC
Penney store in Des Moines, Iowa on June 3, 1940 where he remained for
eighteen months. In 1945, he met with Butler Brothers, a regional
retailer that owned a chain of variety stores called Ben Franklin.
Butler Brothers offered him a Ben Franklin store in Newport, Arkansas.
He achieved higher sales volume by selling products with slightly
smaller markups than most competitors and in 1962, opened his first
store in Rogers, Arkansas. Name it.

Q3
The company was originally established as _______ on June 4, 1892, as a small waterfront shop at No.36 South Street in downtown Manhattan, New York. Wealthy New York lawyer named Ezra was one of the regular customers. In 1900, Ezra left his law practice and bought a major share into the growing company, thus becoming co-founder. Afterwards, __________ moved into larger quarters at 314 Broadway, and Ezra began to implement experimental ideas to renovate the store. In 1904, Ezra's surname was incorporated and so the official name was changed to.........what? (Personal Favorite :))

Q4
He is the son of an orthodontist and grew up in a well-to-do Jewish
family. He had his first encounter with a computer at the age of 15
when he broke down a brand new Apple II computer and rebuilt it, just
to see if he could. He attended Memorial High School in Houston,
Texas, where he did not excel scholastically. Reportedly one of his
teachers, still currently teaching there, commented to him that he
"would probably never go anywhere in life." In the 2005 publication of
the Forbes 400, he was listed as the 4th richest man in the United
States and the 18th richest in the world with net assets of around
US$18 billion. Who are we talking about?

Q5
Its corporate name honors the four founding brothers, emigrants from
Poland. The three elder brothers began in the exhibition business in
1903, having acquired a projector with which they showed films in the
mining towns of Pennsylvania and Ohio. They opened their first
theatre, the Cascade, in New Castle, Pennsylvania in 1903. Which
organization is this?

Q6
In 1907 19-year-old Jim Casey founded the American Messenger Company
in Seattle, Washington with $100 borrowed from a friend. In 1913, Jim
Casey and Evert McCabe agreed to merge. Merchants Parcel Delivery was
formed and focused on packages. In 1919, the company expanded beyond
Seattle and changed its name to?

Q7
Richard was a railroad station agent in Minnesota when he received a
shipment of watches which were unwanted by a local jeweler. He
purchased them himself, sold the watches at a nice profit to other
station agents up and down the line, and then ordered more for resale.
Soon he started a business selling watches through catalogs. The next
year, he moved to Chicago, Illinois where he met Alvah, who joined him
in the business. In 1893, the corporate business name became?

Q8
Its role as pioneer, innovator and visionary in mobile communications
is well-known. Originally founded as the Galvin Manufacturing
Corporation in 1928, it has come a long way since introducing its
first product, the battery eliminator. For more than 75 years, it has
proven itself a global leader in wireless, broadband and automotive
communications technologies and embedded electronic products, and has
become a company recognized for its dedication to ethical business
practices and pioneering role in important innovations. Name it.

Q9
In 1886, Charles Martin Hall, a graduate of Ohio's Oberlin College,
discovered the process of smelting aluminium, almost simultaneously
with Paul Héroult in France. He realized that by passing an electrical
current through a bath of cryolite and aluminium oxide, the then
semi-rare metal aluminium remained as a byproduct. This discovery, now
called the Hall-Héroult process, is still used 117 years later. With
the help of financial backers, Hall started the Pittsburgh Reduction
Company, which changed its name to?

Q10
It began when John moved to Grand Detour, Illinois in 1836 to escape
bankruptcy in Vermont. Already an established blacksmith, he opened a
1,378 square feet shop in Grand Detour in 1837 which allowed him to
serve as a general repairman in the village, as well as a manufacturer
of small tools such as pitchforks and shovels. This company is today
the leading manufacturer of agricultural machinery in the world. Name it.

Q11

She's responsible for the name of a brand which caters to customers who want 'the best or nothing'. Identify the girl or the brand bearing her name in the above image.

ANSWERS

QUIZ 8

2008-08-27T12:30:00.000+05:30

Q1
Founded in 1889, and named after the street in which it is located, it
is nicknamed the Maroon and Green Brigade. It had a commemorative
stamp issued by the postal department of India during the centenary
celebrations of 1989. The stamp showed bare footed Indians and booted
Englishmen. What am I talking about?

Q2
A javelin plunged into his shoulder during a bizarre and horrible training session in 2007. He feared that his career was over and had the javelin hit a few inches farther left and punctured his throat, his life would have been over. Nevertheless, he still won gold at the world championships and also qualified for Beijing 2008. Who?

Q3
A not very well known fact is, that in 1944, during a promotional tour of Liverpool, England he actually signed for Liverpool Football Club as a player. As of today the records still state that he was on the books and is classed as having been a Liverpool player. Who?

Q4
He was a devout Lutheran whose explicit Christian beliefs shaped his
philosophy of science. During his university studies he felt a deep
calling from God to study philosophy and mathematics, rather than more
lucrative pursuits. He wrote in a letter to a Dominican priest in
early February 1896, "From me, Christian philosophy will be offered
for the first time the true theory of the _________." The integers
considered as a completed set were his first demonstration of his
theory, followed by his hierarchy of what he called ordinal numbers.
Who, and what concept?

Q5
This author broke into writing in 1922 with a collection entitled
"Life, My Sister" but attained fame posthumously, when his second work
was banned in the Soviet Union, and first issued by an Italian
publisher. In 1958, he was forbidden to accept the Nobel Prize. Who?

Q6
D.A. Pennebaker made a film entitled "Don't Look Back" which was
inspired by the letters to, from and about Byron in the years at Pisa
with the Shelleys. The film was based on a legend in his own right,
and featured Allen Ginsberg and Alan Price. Who was the subject of the
film?

Q7
Once an Indian disciple of Tagore met this person. In a letter to Lady
Gregory in America, he mentioned that he had told the disciple that
Sarojini Naidu's brother was unhappy that Tagore wrote a poem
welcoming King George V, namely the Jana Gana Mana. On the same day,
on December 12th, King George V had proclaimed the annulment of the
partition of Bengal. Who was this person, who brought out the real
background of the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana?

Q8
On board this historic journey, two infants were born. One's name was
lost in time and the other was named Oceanis Hopkins. Which journey?

Q9
He spent his entire life playing with microscopes and himself, not
necessarily in that order. He was the first to describe the
spermatozoa and he reported the discovery very nervously to the
authorities and nearly lost his job because his discovery was thought
to be obscene. Who?

Q10
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Build a better one and the earth will
be at your door." 300 people and 20 years have improved on it, making
it the most reinvented machine according to the US Patent office.
Lavish ones come with a profusion of gears, levers, springs etc. What
are we talking about?

Q11
Identify the logo in the above image.

ANSWERS

QUIZ 7

2008-08-26T18:37:00.000+05:30

Q1
This tiny island country has been called a "melting pot" and its
linguistic situation is very complex. While English is the official
language of parliament, traffic regulations, and school
administration, it is spoken by only 3% of the population. French is
the native language and is used by the mass media. Eighty percent of
the newspapers are written in French, which also dominates the
advertising field. Creole, is the national language and is spoken by
the majority of the population. Nearly the entire population knows and
uses it for communication. Which country?

Q2
A member of a famous acting clan, she was seven when she snagged a
role in Steven Spielberg's hit film E.T. (1982). Success bred excess:
by age 10 she was using alcohol and marijuana, by 13 she was in rehab,
and by 17 she was posing nude for Interview magazine. Who?

Q3
Established in March 21st 1891, the Chelsea Arts Club was a private
club for artists of all genres, founded in 1891 at the suggestion of
the painter James McNeil Whistler. It is one of today's leading art
exhibits, featuring over 1600 artists. Arts include painting,
sculpting, musicians, photography, etc. This particular scientist was
admitted to the membership of the club after he made "germ paintings,"
in which he drew with a culture loop using spores of highly pigmented
bacteria. The bacteria were invisible while he painted, but when
cultured made bright colours. Name him.

Q4
Norville Rogers and his Great Dane are better known as?

Q5
Which organization did Dr. Mikel Harry & Richard Schroeder found in
1994 at Scottsdale, Arizona? (it is more of a concept than an
organization).

Q6
Name the wife of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Q7
Who invented the electrical Air-Conditioner?...Clue: Later went on to become the
head of the company named in his honour.

Q8
She missed the bronze medal in the 400 metre hurdles by a fraction at
the Los Angeles Olympics. She recently said that had she learned how
to put her head down while crossing the finish line, she may have won
the medal for India. Who are we talking about?

Q9
She was Thomas Carlyle's first love. She is the Blumine of his "Sartor
Resartus" and the Rosegodess of his "Reminiscences". She is also half
Indian. Name her.

Q10
In 1924, Sir John Marshall added another chapter to the early history
of India. What did he do?

Q11 Identify the person, whose only first-class cricket wicket was that of W.G. Grace's, in the above image. (Again, don't READ too much into the hint.)

ANSWERS

QUIZ 6

2008-08-25T13:24:00.000+05:30

Q1
What makes King Khafre, son of Khufu, one of the most recognizable
faces in the world?

Q2
To call them integral to the operations of FORTUNE 500 companies would
be a gross understatement. Fact is, the entire U.S. economy would have
trouble functioning without them. They're stamped on your UPS and
FedEx packages and often on letters delivered by the U.S. Postal
Service. They're printed in library books, on documents in litigation,
and sometimes on your company ID. What are we talking about?

Q3
This Easter Egg appears in the movie "Octopussy". These eggs were
ordered by the Czars of Russia for Easter and were studded with
precious stones. Name the Egg.

Q4
X is the first, and still the most outstanding, example of a hill
passenger railway. Opened in 1881, it applied bold, ingenious
engineering solutions to the problem of establishing an effective rail
link across a mountainous terrain of great beauty. It is still fully
operational and retains most of its original features. Which railway?

Q5
`I learnt the lesson of non-violence from my _______." Gandhiji once
told John S. Hoiland. From who?

Q6
Jack Welch was given a nick name for his policy of cost cutting and
retrenchment. What was it?

Q7
X was quoted, in private, as saying 'How ugly is Y?! There is no point buying him, it isn't worth it. He's so ugly that he'd sink you as a brand. Between Y and Z, I'd go for Z a hundred times. Just look how handsome Z is, the class he has, the image. The whole of Asia has fallen in love with us because of Z. Y is too ugly.' Who are X, Y, and Z?

Q8
It is the world's lenghtiest written constitution (with 395 articles
and 8 schedules). Which constitution?

Q9
In June 1962 it became the world's first all-jet airline with the
retirement of the last L-1049A Super Constellation. Which airline?

Q10
Little known fact: It happened only once but a US president was forced to stay at the Soviet embassy. Which president, where and when?

Q11
Name the famous person, creator of the Amazon graphical text adventure game, in the above image. (Don't READ into the hint too much :))

ANSWERS

QUIZ 5

2008-08-12T13:55:00.000+05:30

Q1
In October 1980, the author was on his way back to Australia after a
book signing when he stopped en route to the airport to buy a new
briefcase in a Beverly Hills luggage shop owned by Leopold Pfefferberg
- who had been one of the 1200 saved during the holocaust. In the 50
minutes the author spent waiting for his credit card payment to clear,
Pfefferberg persuaded him to go to the back room where the shopkeeper
kept two cabinets filled with documents he had collected. Pfefferberg
- who had told his story to every writer and producer who ever came
into his store - eventually wore down the author's reluctance, and the
writer chose to make the story into his next book. Which book?

Q2
To preserve the dramatic opening of the film, the director insisted on
moving all the credits to the end of the movie, thereby not intruding
on the iconic opening crawl. The Directors' Guild in particular took
issue with this, and demanded that he, at that time a DGA member,
follow Guild regulations and put the credits at the beginning or face
a fine. The director kept the film as is, paid the fine and promptly
resigned from the DGA after the movie's release. Who was the director
/ which movie?

Q3
In the Limited Edition DVD (and in the standard Region 2 edition)
allows the movie to be watched in the exact chronological order of the
events in the film. The first couple scenes of the regular cut of the
movie appear normal in this version, meaning they are not reversed.
However, this version of the movie is on Disc 2, is quite difficult to
reach (the user must answer several questions and solve a puzzle), and
forward, reverse and chapter skip capabilities are disabled.
Which movie?

Q4
The actor's strangled accent is based on the voice of Weegee, the
famous German-born crime photographer of the 1950s whose name was
given by New York police due to his uncanny ability to show up at
murder scenes before they did. The actor heard Weegee talking during
an on-set visit and adopted his strange German accent for the title
character. Clue: Some references show the date of this film as 1963.
Its world premiere was scheduled for December 12, 1963, but following
John F. Kennedy's assassination on November 22, it was felt to be
inappropriate to release such a film so soon afterwards, so it was not
shown until January 1964. Which movie?

Q5
This was the first western film made in and about the country to be
produced with full Chinese government cooperation since 1949. It was
also the first feature film granted permission by the Chinese
government to be filmed in the Forbidden City. Which film?

Q6
The film was unavailable for decades because its rights (together with
four other pictures of the same period) were bought back by Alfred
Hitchcock and left as part of his legacy to his daughter. They've been
known for long as the infamous "Five Lost Hitchcocks" among film
buffs, and were re-released in theaters around 1984 after a 30-year
absence. The others are The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), Rope (1948),
The Trouble with Harry (1955), and Vertigo (1958). Name this "lost" film.

Q7
In filming the "Well of Souls" sequence, the producers scoured every
pet shop in London and the South of England for every snake they could
lay their hands on. Hence there are snakes that are identifiable from
many different geographical areas. However, once all the snakes were
on set, it became clear that there were not nearly enough of them, so
the director had several hoses cut into lengths, and these were used
as well. Looking closely, you can tell which are the real snakes and
which are not. Which movie?

Q8
There is a persistent myth that all the clocks in the movie are
set to 4:20 (although, certainly all the clocks on the wall in the
pawn shop are set to 4:20). However, in at least two scenes it is
obvious that this is not the case. The significance of the time 4:20
is that it is slang for smoking marijuana. Which movie?

Q9
The film was shot in Spain during the regime of Gen. Francisco Franco.
While the scene with the crowd chanting the Marxist theme was being
filmed (at 3:00 in the morning), police showed up at the set thinking
that a real revolution was taking place and insisted on staying until
the scene was finished. Apparently, people who lived near where
filming was taking place had awoken to the sound of revolutionary
singing and had mistakenly believed that Franco had been overthrown.
Which film?

Q10
Director Michael Curtiz' Hungarian accent often caused confusion on
the set. He asked a prop man for a "poodle" to appear in one scene.
The prop man searched high and low for a poodle while the entire crew
waited. He found one and presented it to Curtiz, who screamed "A
poodle! A poodle of water!" Which movie?

Q11
Identify the actress, in a photo from her youthful days, in the above image.

ANSWERS

QUIZ 4

2008-08-10T01:54:00.000+05:30

She hung her boots (in her case her tennis racket) many years ago after winning an amazing 22 Grand Slam titles. She is married to a seven time Wimbledon champ. Though she devotes a lot of time to her own kids, son - Jaden Gil, and daughter - Jaz, she lavishes a lot of attention on helping thousands of kids traumatized by war, persecution, violence and exile. Her charity, "Children for Tomorrow", has live projects running in Kosovo, Mozambique and South Africa. Name this woman still fondly called "Fräulein Forehand" in her country.

When the WPP Group of Martin Sorrel successfully took over Ogilvy and a new 'company telephone directory' was printed, the first name to figure along with a number by its side simply read "OLJ." When David Ogilvy inquired who this might be, what was Sorell's reply?

Combine American Express, Apple Inc., Converse, Motorola, Gap, Emporio Armani, Hallmark, Microsoft and Dell into one considerate brand.

Imagine this.... As a part of ad gimmick and PR stunt, this company in 1996, painted a Concorde aircraft blue which is their corporate color. Which company?

Who is the only person to hold a patent on a chemical element?

In October. 1973, Queen Elizabeth II formally opened the building. It was accompanied by a spectacular fireworks and a performance of Beethoven's Symphony 9. Alain 'Spiderman' Robert scaled the building's exterior wall on the way to roof using only his bare hands and feet without any safety device. Which building am I talking about?

Don Hoefler started his career in electronics journalism in Mountain view, California and then he became a reporter for Fairchild. He died in1986 at San Fransico. He is believed to have coined the famous phrase. What phrase is that?

Gary Boone who invented a single chip microcomputer (microprocessor) worked for this company. Initially started as a Seismic exploration Services company has become a big name in semiconductor industry. The first R&D center of this company opened outside US and Europe was in India. Which company?

At the age of 35, he became Vice President of Coca Cola's Technical Research and Development. He remains the youngest person to hold this position at The Company. He received a stunning appointment in 1979,to become President of The Coca-Cola Company after then officer J.Lucian Smith resigned. In March 1981, he assumed the chairmanship after Chairman Paul Austin retired. During his tenure, the Coca-Cola brand became the most well-known trademark in the world. He introduced the Coke slogan, "Coke is it!" He launched the Diet Coke brand, as well as the ill-fated New Coke. Name him.

Q10

His book Baby and Child Care was published in 1946, just in time for the post-World War II baby boom, and became a widely-accepted "bible"on child rearing. A little known fact: rowed on Yale's crew team, and with them won a gold medal in the 1924 Olympics. Name him.

Q11

Identify the person in the above image.

ANSWERS

QUIZ 3

2008-08-07T14:32:00.000+05:30

Q1
Most airlines employ a distinctive and internationally recognised call
sign that is normally spoken during airband radio transmissions as a
prefix to the flight number. For example, the call sign for African
Safari Airways is "Zebra". What is the call sign for Indian Airlines?

Q2
The message--simply the Morse-code signal for the letter "s"--traveled
more than 2,000 miles from Poldhu in Cornwall, England, to
Newfoundland, Canada. What was so great about this?

Q3
In 1919, Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs moved to an immense
540-acre ranch in southern California's San Fernando Valley, and named
it something. And when a city sprung up there in 1970, it inherited
this name. What did he name it?

Q4
Who in the bible, is the first musician and also the inventor of the
harp and the flute?

Q5
She has been described as having snakes as hair and so frightening that anyone who stares at her turns into stone. At one point of time she was a very beautiful sea-nymph and the wrath of a goddess was the reason behind her more famous hideous state. Who is she?

Q6
She is Canadian. She was born Eileen. She changed her name to a word
that means "I'm on my way" in the third most commonly spoken native
language in Canada, Obijwe language. The city where she grew up has
renamed a street after her as also built a museum in her honour. Who's
she?

Q7
This British Statesman was a hyperactive child, who entered Harrow as
a rock-bottom student. He improved slightly, but still failed the
entrance exams at Sandhurst twice, and was taken out of Harrow and
placed with a 'crammer'. Who are we talking about?

Q8
He is the only man to have been awarded the Nobel Prize and an Oscar. Who? (I'm not talking about Al Gore.)

Q9
There is an urban legend that this drink contains `prune juice'.
Contrary to the legend, it never has. The oldest bottling plant of
this drink is in Dublin, Texas. In 1960s, the plant owner refused to
change from cane sugar to less expensive corn syrup. Today, the plant
is still in operation, and is the only US source for this drink made
with real cane sugar. Contractual requirements limit the plant's
distribution range to a 40-mile radius of Dublin! What drink am I
talking about?

Q10
The mascots of the Beijing Olympics are know as the 5 what?

Q11
Identify the person in the above image.

ANSWERS

QUIZ 2

2008-08-06T17:03:00.001+05:30

Q1
The first specimens were found for sale as meat at a market in
Thakhek, Khammmouan in Laos in 1996. Remains of three additional
animals were obtained in 1998 from villagers and in an owl pellet.
Several more animals were trapped in the region. What is so
significant about this?

Q2
Madonna and her partners, Guy Oseary and Ronnie Dashev, teamed up with
Warners in the late 1990s to form a recording label. Name it.

Q3
About which politician did one senator remark: If ignorance goes to
40 dollars a barrel, I want drilling rights to his head?

Q4
Its home base is the neighborhood of La Boca. The other football
team's home base is the neighborhood of Nuñez. Which city are they in?

Q5
It is a biological agent that can cause disease to its host. It's name
literally means "birth of pain". What is it?

Q6
In this country they celebrate Christmas on January 7. Where?

Q7
Calvin (yes, that six year old with the tiger) loves to don his mask
and cape and become superhero for the day. Our man (I can't think of
him as a boy somehow) has changed into his favourite hero to take a
history test and to run his babysitter around the yard. Who is the
alter-ego superhero of Calvin?

Q8
A popular saying which did the rounds during this inventors days was:
"God made all Men,______(inventor)made them Equal."

Q9
It has 1.2 million members in 165 countries. The Indian department of
Posts issued a special commemorative stamp of the occasion of its
centenary. Which organization is this?

Q10
He arrived in Hyderabad in 1795 as a cocky young imperialist
intending to conquer India. Instead he was 'conquered' by the Nawab's
teenage daughter and in spite of General Wellesley's wrath, converted
secretly to Islam and married her. He was adopted by the Nizam as a
son and was given the name 'Hashmat Jung'. He eventually became a
secret agent for the Nizam against the British. What was his name?

Q11

Identify the above image.

ANSWERS

QUIZ 1

2008-08-06T17:02:00.001+05:30

Q1
It is one of the smallest state capitals in the US, with the
population of only 8,035 in 2006, and the only state capital without a
McDonald's and Burger King or an airport. Name it.

Q2
Career chart of a famous entrepreneur .... high school dropout,
ambulance driver, jazz pianist, real estate salesman, radio station
manager, paper cup salesman and then the occupation which made him
sort of legend. Who?

Q3
She was named after a department store. Although she is generally
considered African American, she is biracial, with a white
English-born mother and a black American father. Who?

Q4
I want the full name of these two people: the man who wrote Saare
Jahan Se Achcha… and the man who set it to the tune we sing it in now.

Q5
Name the creator of the Amar Chitra Katha & Tinkle comic book series.

Q6
The gay plump fashion designer, who suffered from heart trouble,
reportedly died of a heart attack while undergoing a weight-loss cure
at the spa in Montecatini, Italy, in an effort to make himself more
desirable to his young North African lover; the death reportedly
occurred in the lobby of the Hotel Pace after an after-dinner canasta
game. It has, however, been suggested that the fashion designer
actually died of a heart attack after a too strenuous evening spent
with two young men. Name him.

Q7
Its formula is R-C9H11N2O4S. What is it?

Q8
You were just caught pandiculating. What were you doing?

Q9
Which OTC brand developed in 1958 by Boots Company in Britain gets its
name from the bacteria Streptococcus?

Q10
Under what brand name did Bayer sell morphine in the early part of the
20th century?

Q11

Identify the above image.

ANSWERS

ARE YOU INTERESTED?

2008-08-04T15:15:00.000+05:30

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