Question for June 4, 2012

Connect the following images. The arrows indicate the images that are directly linked to each other (obviously, by different connects). Identify all connects. Click on the image for a larger view.

Googling, Binging, etc. is allowed for this question. Please mention if you were able to crack this on your own or not.

Question for April 26, 2012

France has most number of representations with representatives from this country attending 4 times. Bhutan, Mauritius and USSR/Russia are next with 3 representations. 7 nations have sent representatives 2 times, while 27 other nations have sent representatives once. Representation to this event is by invite only. Generally, only one invite is sent each year. However, two were sent in 1968 and 1974, while in a further 11 years, none were sent. Some of the more famous names to have attended include Queen Elizabeth II, Joseph Tito, Jacques Chirac, John Major, Vladimir Putin, Nicolas Sarkozy and Yingluck Shinawatra, who is also the most recent invitee. Only King Wangchuck of Bhutan and Jacques Chirac of France have attended twice.

Which event is described here?

Question for September 5, 2011

Connect the following:

• Cooch-Behar (India) – Bangladesh
• Baarle Nassau (The Netherlands) – Belgium
• Nahwa (UAE) – Madha (Oman)
• Puducherry (India) – Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh (all India)
• Liberty Island, Ellis Island (New York, USA) – New Jersey (USA)
• Dadra (Dadra and Nagar Haveli, India) – Gujarat (India)

Obviously, the list is not exhaustive. However, there is something special about the first three entries in the list. Bonus points for identifying it.

Question for July 19, 2011

A's invasion on the territory B held by C was used as a precedent for X's similar invasion on territory Y, also held by C, almost 15 years later. There were some similarities to both invasions, with both A and X claiming that the territories were historically connected to them, and C claiming that the military action was an assault on their soverignity. Both invasions earned condemnations from other parts of the world, and resolutions were tabled at the United Nations Security Council demanding withdrawal of troops from B and Y respectively.

The differences were in the nature of support obtained for the actions from other countries. The Soviet Union vetoed the UNSC resolution against A, effectively offering support for A's action. The United States was one of the nations that tabled the resolution against A; however, it did not speak out against X as it considered the nation as the most important ally in the region. Where the two invasions differed dramatically was in the aftermath. While B was successfully integrated as part of A, Y was mired in a long and protracted bloody war with X, which eventually ended with Y gaining independence from X more than 25 years later.

Identify (A, B); (X, Y); and C.

Hint: C is a former colonial power. Y obtained independence from X in the 2000s.

Question for June 22, 2011

X is an organism organized in a hexagonal crystal shaped structure. It requires pure energy for growth which it uses with high efficiency, producing no excretory waste. While green in colour under normal circumstances, it changes to a purplish colour during mitotic division. X can grow only under a highly specific set of conditions. The pH range required for its growth is 7.39 to 7.43. The best conditions are under ultra-violet light with the air rich in carbon dioxide while the worst conditions are under infra-red light with the air rich in oxygen.

When introduced in the human body it immediately coagulates the entire blood stream resulting in near instant death. In certain cases it attacks the brain resulting in insanity leading to death. While extremely deadly at the time it was discovered, it has since mutated into a relatively harmless organism with the ability to "eat" through rubber, and is believed to have migrated to upper space.

Identify X.

Question for June 9, 2011

This is an attempt to revive the blog. Questions will be posted spradically. Hopefully we will not see more than a week go by without a new question.

A is a film company founded in 1961 by X and Y. While X produced most of the films, Y directed them and Z wrote the script. The stories were based on novels or short stories, such as those written by Henry James and E. M. Forster. While the initial aim of the company was to make English language movies set in India, it ended up making films set in England and America as well. X once remarked on this collaboration, "It is a strange marriage we have at A... I am an Indian Muslim, Z is a German Jew, and Y is a Protestant American. Someone once described us as a three-headed god. Maybe they should have called us a three-headed monster!"

Identify A, X and Y. Bonus points if you can identify Z as well.

Highlight the text in quotes for a hint.

"Some of the movies made by A include Shakespeare Wallah and Bombay Talkie. A recent movie from 2008 named Before the Rains was directed by Santosh Sivan"

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.

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).

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?

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 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 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.

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.

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.

Question for Sep 9, 2010

Identify what is being depicted below (click on the image for a bigger view).

Make-up question for Aug 27, 2010

X is a form of rating system developed in the 1950s, and is the primary method of measurement in the field for which it was designed. Data for the ratings can be gathered either by getting the "consumer" to self-record, or by using a meter that automatically records data, with the added advantage of increased granularity. These ratings are used to decide which "products" are more in demand, and also to appropriately charge for advertising. Calculation of X involves sampling of a subset of people, and is therefore prone to sampling bias. Also, people's behaviour might change due to awareness of being in the sample population. Another criticism is that X does not reflect "total consumption". More recently, newer modes of "consumption" have rendered the old system more inaccurate. A plan has since been announced to revamp the entire methodology.

Identify X. If not the name, atleast identify what is being described.

Question for Aug 20, 2010

In 1941, Roosevelt's State of the Union address addressed the topic of X. He said, "In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential X. ... (description of the X follows) ... That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation. That kind of world is the very antithesis of the so-called new order of tyranny which the dictators seek to create with the crash of a bomb."

Normal Rockwell, an American artist of that time, produced a series of oil paintings depicting each of the four X (shown in the montage below). Though created in response to world war II, the paintings have developed an iconic identity and are now part of America's cultural and social fabric.

What is X? Bonus points for identifying each of the four X.

Question for Aug 10, 2010

Connect the following images (not in any order). This might be a tad difficult, so use google if you have to, but mention it in the comments.

1)

2)

3)

4)

Question for July 29, 2010

What am I talking about here?

Doug Walters set it in 1977 with 44. Rod Marsh, nurturing a grudge from that time, broke it with 45 in 1983, albeit with some help from Dennis Lillee. David Boon then set what is arguably the most famous of these records with 52 in 1989. There are unconfirmed reports that Karls Ackasovs, the Latvian Aussie rules football player broke Boon's record with 53 (year unknown), and Carl Hayman, the All Blacks rugby player, broke that record with 60 in 2007.

Question for July 16, 2010

Connect the following:

1) A quote from a medieval Russian chronicle from Novgorod: "No one exactly knows who they are, nor whence they came out, nor what their language is, nor of what race they are, nor what their faith is . . . God alone knows."

2)

3)

4)