Question for Dec 24, 2010

Sorry for the ridiculously late post. This is a make-up for missing my turn on Monday. This is the last question this year. We'll resume again in January.

The _______ is a whimsical economic theory presented by George Taylor in the 1920s. The theory says that _______ fluctuate with the economy, measured by stock prices or gross domestic product. When the economy is flourishing, _______ increase, meaning one would see more _______ (such as in the 60s), and when the economic situation is deteriorating the _______ drop, perhaps even to the floor (such as during the great depression). Incredibly, recent research from the Erasmus School of Economics showed empirical evidence of this theory. What am I talking about?

Note: The blanks don't contain the same word.

Serendipity for December 22nd

1. Gula, of Afghan (Pashtun) ethnicity, was orphaned during the Soviet Union's bombing of Afghanistan and sent to the Nasir Bagh refugee camp in Pakistan in 1984. Gula was one of the students in an informal school within the refugee camp when she met Steve McCurry.

2.

"a photograph that inspired countless young men to hunch their shoulders, look distant, and let the girl do the clinging"

3. Lois Gibson, a forensic artist with the Houston Police Department, is claiming that she has conclusively determined that __ is Glenn McDuffie, 80, a North Carolina native who played semiprofessional baseball and worked in construction and for the Postal Service. “She measured his ears, facial bones, hairline, wrist, knuckles and hand, and compared those to enlargements __,” The A.P. reported. Alas, Ms. Gibson’s claims will probably not settle the matter. In 1980, Life Magazine counted 11 men — not including Mr. McDuffie — who said they were ___. As of 1995, three women had stepped forward saying they were the ___.

Connect the three clues above and also identify them all.

Question for Sunday Dec 19th

Sorry for the Late post!

"Where we're going, We don't need roads"

Eric Stoltz was first cast as the lead in this 1985 comedy film before being replaced, 2 weeks into shooting , by Y, a diminutive actor now afflicted with Parkinson's . The featured invention in the movie was first set to be a laser device fixed in a room. This was scrapped in favor of a refrigerator, however this too was discarded because Producer Spielberg didn't want children climbing into refrigerators and getting trapped. Finally a gull-wing doored sports car popular in the 80's was selected. The film went on to be a huge hit, spawning two sequels, an animated series and several video games. The film was back in the news recently for its 25th anniversary and the incorrect internet brouhaha of the arrival of a date featured prominently in the second film of the series. In fact several trends shown in the second film have now become more or less reality.
Identify this Film

Qn. for Dec. 17th.

Sorry for the late post...

What is being demonstrated in the following sequence of images?

Question for Dec 13

Identify the multi award winning (in 2010) doubles duo shown in the visual.

Identify the guy - 10th December 2010

The wife of X was "a child actress who never made it, and now she's really ambitious. Mostly she's into negotiating her contract. Every time she sleeps with X she gets an extra $10,000". Who's X? 


Hint: X is a fictional character
Hint 2: X was not the one who paid her the money.

Stich the clues together- Decmber 8th 2010

Connect the following clues. Blanks are not the connect but are giveaway clues. Bonus points for identifying the different blanks.

1.

The land that became ___ was obtained from the Cherokee Indians and Creek Indians by white settlers and their armies in 1822, with the first white settlement established in the area being Decatur. ___ achieved prominence through being a transportation hub, first for the railroad and then for airlines.

2.

Latham was enchanted with ___, and asked her if she had ever written a book. ___ demurred. "Well, if you ever do write a book, please show it to me first!" Latham implored. Later that day in 1935, a friend of ___, having heard this conversation, laughed. "Imagine, anyone as silly as Peggy writing a book!" she said. ___ stewed over this comment, went home, and found most of the old, crumbling envelopes containing her disjointed manuscript. She arrived at The ___ Terrace Hotel, just as Latham prepared to depart ___. "Here," she said, "take this before I change my mind!"

3.

"___ was not beautiful, but...," she had an effect on men, especially when she took notice of them. It is the day before the men are called to war, ___  having been fired on already.

4.

... and Katharine Hepburn, who went so far as demanding an appointment with producer David ___and saying, "I am ___! The role is practically written for me." David replied rather bluntly, "I can't imagine ___ chasing you for ten years."

Question for Dec 6, 2010

The following list is exhaustive, but not ordered. Identify the missing name(s).

• Dr Hans Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller
• Nicholas Clinch et. al.
• Paweł Edmund Strzelecki*
• Florence Crauford Grove, Frederick Gardner, Horace Walker, Peter Knubel and Ahiya Sottaiev
• Matthias Zurbriggen
• Hudson Stuck, Harry Karstens, Walter Harper and Robert Tatum
• ____________

* Depending on which list you subscribe to, the correct entry here can also be "Heinrich Harrer et. al.".

Hint: The missing entry has the most famous name(s) in this list. Even if you have never heard of any of these names, you have certainly heard of the missing one(s).

"Current" Affairs : Question for Sun, Dec 5

The rivalry between X & Y over the use of DC or AC as the primary form of distribution of Electric Power came to be known as the "War of Currents". DC was the standard in the USA and X who was a famed inventor of the time, whose various patents worked with DC, promoted DC. Y threw his hat in the ring after partnering with the Austrian born Z aka the Wizard of the West to commercialize Z's work in generating and transmitting AC. Fierce campaigning by both parties followed to set the new standard, with X promoting the hazardous effects of AC by publically electrocuting stray dogs and cats and even horses. X even went on to invent the first Electric Chair which worked with AC. Finally Y's successful bid for the construction of the Niagara Falls power plant sealed the fate in favor of AC. However the companies they both started to distribute Electric Current still survive today.

Identify X & Y.

Qn. for Dec. 3rd.

Connect the following:

1. Joan found Mark and Mike jumping Janet and Susan outside Nora's drugstore.

2. How I want a drink, alcoholic of course, after the heavy lectures involving quantum mechanics. All of thy geometry, Herr Planck, is fairly hard.

3. Here He Lies Beneath Bed Clothes, Nothing On, Feeling Nervous. Naughty Margaret Always Sighs, "Please Stop Clowning Around."

Reader Question

This question is courtesy Shiva Gopalan.

Below is an ordered but non exhaustive list of names:

John Fenwick, Walt Whitman, Woodrow Wilson, Joyce Kilmer, Thomas Edison, Grover Cleveland, Alexander Hamilton.

What is this list about?

Question for Nov 29

The visual shows the timeline of which event?

Question for 25th Nov 2010

A celebrated poem appeared in Punch on Saturday, 9 September ____. The first verse, quoted most frequently, reads:

Well done, Cornstalks! Whipt us
Fair and square,
Was it luck that tript us?
Was it scare?
_____ Land's 'Demon', or our own
Want of 'devil', coolness, nerve, backbone?

The poem is talking about something which has been subsequently immortalized. Something all of us know about. What?

X- the great leveler for November 24

The first X, introduced in 1827 by George Shillibeer for a ___ ___ at Abney Park in Stoke Newington, north-east of London (UK), was designed ___ ___ 25 children.

R:G:B :: 255:216:0

In April 1939, Dr. Frank W. Cyr, a professor at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York organized a conference that established national X construction standards for the U.S., including the standard ___ ___ ___ the X. It became known officially as "National X Chrome." The ___ was selected because ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ easiest to see in the semi-darkness of early morning.

Glean X from the 3 clues above. Happy Thanksgiving!

Question for Nov 22, 2010

The 1956 Summer Olympics Games almost descended to a complete farce due to various problems including controvery over selection of the host city, problems with venue preparation, boycotts due to political reasons, and even clashes between the players of Soviet Union and Hungary during a water polo game. Just days before the games were to end, the organizing committee received an anonymous letter with a suggestion to prevent the games from being a complete failure. The idea was implemented and became a great success. It has been maintained as an Olympic tradition ever since. The author of the letter, John Ian Wing, a Chinese student in Melbourne at the time, has since been given many accolades, including an Olympic medal and the naming of the John Ian Wing Parade in the Olympic Village in 2000.

What was the suggestion?

What goes up.... Sun,Nov 21

Connect:

Qn. for Nov. 19th

What does the partial map depict?

Question for Nov 18 - PS

Connect the two:

1) A live frog levitates inside a 32 mm diameter vertical bore of a Bitter solenoid in a magnetic field of about 16 teslas at the High Field Magnet Laboratory

2) An atomic-scale honeycomb lattice made of carbon atoms.

Question for Nov 15

The visual depicts the downtown of which place?

Identify X & Y: 12th November 2010

X drank a "recovery shake" and took an ice bath. He later had "three boxes of pizza, all sorts of chicken and mashed potatoes". He said that he was so hungry he could have eaten "12 Big Macs" but reported that drinking coconut water helped him rehydrate and avoid cramping as he had experienced in the past. He slept for less than four hours before arising.

Y on the other hand slept for very few hours, had a cold bath and a massage.

The next morning, Y was seen practicing and X was seen on a treadmill.

Who are X & Y? The above description is from this year.

Those far-flung states- Nov 10th 2010

Connect the following-

Alaska, Maine, Hawaii, Maine, Hawaii and Florida.

The order is not important. Repetitions are not to be ignored.

Clue: The total of 6 is one less than 7.

Clue#2: Think Geography! There are 7 _____s on earth.

Question for Nov 8, 2010

X is ubiquitous in USA, where it is easily recognized by its classic design using red and black colours. However, the ISO standard for X is very different from the American version. In fact, outside of USA (and a few other countries), this form of X is not considered to be an acceptable version, mainly because of the choice of its colours, and also because of its language specific nature.

In 1980, Japan submitted a design for X to ISO, which was approved over a very similar looking design submitted by USSR because of the extensive testing that was performed in Japan. Japan's design is in green and white, without any lettering, and is considered to be the form of X that is most easily recognizable by people. Even in places where Japan's design is not used, a variation of it is used. The American version, by contrast, has few takers outside the country. However, within USA, there has been strong opposition to the Japanese design and the codes within USA specify the use of the American design. There are signs, however, that acceptance of the Japanese design is slowly increasing, and that this might be seen alongside the American design till it eventually gains complete acceptance.

Identify X.

Edit: Added text to the question. The American version of X has red text against a black background, while the ISO standard shows a green figure against a white background. The reason the ISO standard is considered better is that it has no text, while the American version is helpful only to those who are familiar with English.

Question for Sun, Nov 7

Connect:

Qn. for Nov. 5th.

X's work was stimulated by the Italian anatomist and physiologist Y, who in 1780 noticed that dissected frog's legs would twitch when struck by a spark from a Leyden jar, an external source of electricity. In 1786 he noticed that twitching would occur during lightning storms. After many years Y learned how to produce twitching without using any external source of electricity. In 1791 he published a report on "animal electricity." in which he detailed his creation consisting of frog's legs (FL) and two different metals A and B, each metal touching the frog's leg and each other, in the formation A-FL-B-A-FL-B...etc.

Within a year X made the requisite change in Y's creation and invented ___________. Who were X and Y? What did X invent?

Question for Nov 3

Identify the mathematician X and his famous theory Y.

X's theory of Y was originally regarded as so counter-intuitive—even shocking—that it encountered resistance from mathematical contemporaries such as Leopold Kronecker (his doctoral advisor) and Henri Poincaré, while Ludwig Wittgenstein raised philosophical objections. Some Christian theologians (particularly neo-Scholastics) saw X's work as a challenge to the uniqueness of the absolute infinity in the nature of God, on one occasion equating the theory of Y with pantheism. The objections to his work were occasionally fierce: Poincaré referred to X's ideas as a "grave disease" infecting the discipline of mathematics, and Kronecker's public opposition and personal attacks included describing X as a "scientific charlatan", a "renegade" and a "corrupter of youth." Writing decades after X's death, Wittgenstein lamented that mathematics is "ridden through and through with the pernicious idioms of Y," which he dismissed as "utter nonsense" that is "laughable" and "wrong". X's recurring bouts of depression from 1884 to the end of his life were once blamed on the hostile attitude of many of his contemporaries, but these episodes can now be seen as probable manifestations of a bipolar disorder.

The harsh criticism has been matched by later accolades. In 1904, the Royal Society awarded X its Sylvester Medal, the highest honor it can confer for work in mathematics. X believed his theory of Y had been communicated to him by God. David Hilbert defended it from its critics by famously declaring: "No one shall expel us from the Paradise that X has created."

Question for Nov 1

The visual depicts the map of which place? 

Novel Title for 29th October 2010

A magazine excerpt from X was originally published as _____, but Y's agent, Candida Donadio, requested that it change the title of the novel so it would not be confused with another recently novel, Leon Uris's Mila 18. The title _____ was suggested, but because of the release of the 1960 movie Ocean's Eleven this was also rejected. _____ was also rejected, so as not to be confused with the World War II film Stalag 17, as well as _____, apparently because the publisher did not feel that 14 was a "funny number". Eventually the title came to be X, with the ___ also referring to a number of déjà vu-like events common in the novel.

X & Y?

Decipher an image for October 27, 2010

This chart is based on a trend that has been in the news a lot lately (especially in the USA). Identify

Question for Oct 25, 2010

X is a political treatise written by Y in the 16th century. It is one of Y's most famous works, and was responsible for bringing the term Z, derived from Y, into common usage as a pejorative term. X is addressed to Lorenzo de' Medici, a member of the ruling Florentine Medici family, and explains the best ways to acquire, maintain, and protect a state. The book is famous for giving us the term "the ends justify the means". X is considered to have been very influential over the years, with rulers such as Frederick of Prussia, Napoleon I, Mussolini and Stalin offering their views on the novel.

There is also a widely held contrary view that Y was, in fact, a proponent of free republics and wrote X purely as a satire, in response to being tortured and exiled by the Medici family for his significant role in the Florentine republic's anti-Medici government. The purpose of X, according to this viewpoint, is to undo the ruler if the methods in X were taken seriously and followed.

Identify X.

***Spoiler below in the form of a hint (if you are reading this via email)***

If you need a hint, highlight the following line, but also mention if you needed the hint to answer this question (though I feel the answer will be very obvious with the hint):

"The term, Z, denotes cunning and duplicity in statecraft or general conduct."

Question for Oct 24

 Connect:

Qn. for Oct. 22nd.

Sorry for the late post...


Connect the following:

1. Earthquakes
2. Sound
3. Acidity/Alkalinity

Question for Oct 18

What does the map depict?

Names: 15th October 2010

X was known by the Native Americans as Talol, or Tacoma, from the Lushootseed word meaning "mother of waters" spoken by the Puyallup. At the time of European contact, the river valleys and other areas near X were inhabited by many tribes who hunted and gathered berries in its forests and mountain meadows. These included the Nisqually, Cowlitz, Yakama, Puyallup, and Muckleshoot. Y was the first European to see X in 1792. He named it honor of his friend Rear Admiral ______. Y himself lent this name to an island and a now very big city a few hundred miles north-west of X.

X & Y?

Fill in the blank- October 13th 2010

Red Sea<-->Suez
Black Sea<-->Bosporus and Dardenelles
Atlantic Ocean<--> _________

Question for Oct 11, 2010

X is a derivation from the name of Y, in reference to an incident that occured in 1902 when Y was invited to a hunting trip in Mississippi. At the end of the day, while most other guests had already killed an animal, Y was yet to make a kill. Not wanting to offend him, some of his attendents cornered, clubbed and tied an animal to a tree and suggested that Y shoot it. However, Y felt this was unsportsmanlike, but asked that the animal be killed to put it out of its misery. This later became the topic of a political cartoon depicting a disgusted Y while an attended held the animal captive. Morris Michtom saw this drawing and decided to create replicas of the animal and sell it under the name X. The form of the replica itself has changed a bit over the years, though the name is still the same.

Identify X and Y.

Qn. for Oct. 8th.

Identify the phrase X.

The origin of the phrase is not definitively known. However, popular etymology has risen to the challenge, and a vast number of explanations of varying degrees of plausibility have been suggested. The proposed sources have been as diverse as the volume of graves or concrete mixers; the length of bridal veils, kilts, burial shrouds, bolts of cloth, or saris; American football; ritual disembowelment; shipyards; and the structure of certain sailing vessels. Little documentary evidence has ever surfaced supporting any of these, and many labor under the significant disadvantage of being claimed as several centuries earlier than the first recorded use of the term. Perhaps the most frequently quoted is from World War II, where it is suggested that to "go X" was to fire an entire aircraft machine-gun ammunition belt.

Question for Oct 6 - PS

Person X connects the following three pictures. Identify X:

1)

2)

 3)

Question for Oct 5

The visual shows a letter dated June 26, 1970. Who wrote the letter?

Identify the famous folks: 4th October, 2010

Incident 1:
As X was on his way to the wicket, Y told him he had been waiting 2 years for another chance to humiliate him. “Looks like you spent it eating,” X retorted.

Incident 2:
A: "Come on, just one more of the famous slog-sweeps before you finish"
B: "Look, show a bit of respect. You were in nappies when I debuted 18 years ago".

X, Y, A & B all are different people. Identify.

Historical firsts for October 1st 2010

Connect the images above!

Question for Sep 30, 2010

X is a criminal mastermind, described as the "Napoleon of Crime". X was a kind of mafia godfather in England, protecting all the criminals there in return for a share of profits. X was acknowledged to be endowed with "phenomenal mathematical faculty", with works such as "A Treatise on the Binomial Theorem" and "The Dynamics of an Asteroid" and he was elected to the mathematical chair at a university on the strength of the former work. Later, rumours about his involvement in criminal activities led him to resign his post and devote his complete attention to crime. His choice of weapon is an air-rifle designed to look like a cane. A favourite method of his was to organize "accidents" to kill his enemies. He finally met his death while battling his arch-nemesis, Y, falling from atop the Reichenbach Falls.

Identify X. Bonus points for identifying Y.

Qn. for Sep. 29.

Connect the following:

1.

2.

3.

Question for September 28, 2010

Sorry for the extremely late post ...

X was an adviser to the first Maurya Emperor (c. 340-293 BCE), and was the chief architect of his rise to power. He has been considered as the pioneer of the field of economics and political science. In the Western world, he has been referred to as The Indian Machiavelli, although his works predate Machiavelli's by about 1,800 years. He was responsible for the creation of Mauryan empire, the first of its kind on the Indian subcontinent. Identify X.

Question for Sep 27 - PS

Connect the following:
1.

 2.

 3.

4. when a big tree falls, the earth is bound to shake.

Question for Sep 24

Whose grave is shown in the visual?

Ad - September 23rd 2010

This is an advertisement for what? (Bottom right part was intentionally blanked out by me)

Irish and Chinese workers meet- Sept 22, 2010

Connect the following 3 clues-

1.

View Larger Map

2.

3. Union Pacific No: 119 and the Jupiter.

Question for Sep 21, 2010

X is a group of people believed to be part of the military in Northern India in the first millenium and after Mahmud Ghazni's raids, they were moved to the Byzantine Empire in the 11th century. The name X derives from the word ḍōmba, meaning a 'man of low caste living by singing and music'. While the South Asian origin of X is not in doubt, very recent findings suggest that they could be the descendents of the Jat people. Today, they are widely dispersed, with high concentrations in Europe. The X have faced widespread persecution over the centuries including forced slavery, ethnic cleansing, genocide by the Nazis and forced assimilation. Recently, the French authorities demolished many of their camps and began the process of repatriating them to their countries of origin, which prompted widespread criticism and threats of legal action.

Identify X.

Identify the genre - Sep. 17th

X is a genre of music. It peaked during the middle to late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Women embraced X as well, and the music eventually expanded to several other popular groups of the time.

While performers and singers of X garnered the lion's share of public attention, the behind-the-scenes producers played an equal, if not more important role, since they often usually wrote the songs and created the innovative sounds and production techniques that were part of the "X sound".

An angry backlash against X music and culture emerged in the United States, hitting its peak with the July 1979 `X Demolition Night'  riot. While the popularity of X in the United States declined markedly as a result of the backlash, the genre continued to be popular elsewhere during the 1980s.

Question for September 16, 2010

Connect the following images:

 

Question for Sep 15 - PS

X was originally built by Ajatashatru in 490 BC as a small fort, and turned into the world's largest city in 300 BC with a population of about 400,000. It was the capital of the Magadhas, Nandas, Mauryans, Sungas and the Guptas down to the Palas, until it was destroyed by the Muslim raiders in the 12th century. Afterwards Sher Shah Suri made X his capital and changed its name to Y.
Y is a city in present-day India with a current population of 1,697,976.

Identify X and Y.

Question for Sep 14

What does the map depict?

Question for 13th September 2010

The following image was posted in June 2009. What does it depict? Note that the image, if it were to be depicted today, would be slightly different than this. Most notably, India would be green in color (the same color as US).