Monday, June 27, 2005

Daily Trivia # 19

In 1966, Javed Akhtar met Salim Khan for the first time on the sets of the film 'Sarhadi Lootera'. Javed was the film's dialogue writer while Salim was the hero!

Sunday, June 26, 2005

Daily Trivia # 18

Bib-label-lithiated-lemon-lime-soda was the original name given to the soft drink 7-up.

Saturday, June 25, 2005

Daily Trivia # 17

Ukulele is the Hawaiian word for 'Jumping Flea'.

Friday, June 24, 2005

Daily Trivia # 16

The guillotine was built by Antoine Louis. It takes its name from Joseph Ignace Guillotin, the man who proposed building a mechanical device for carrying out death penalty. It was first put to use in 1792. Nicolas J. Pelletier was the unfortunate guinea pig.

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Daily Trivia # 15

Rembrandt must have been one hell of a narcissist. He did more than 90 self-portraits in his lifetime.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Daily Trivia # 14

In 1941, Alfred Hitchcock directed a comedy called 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith'. The story bears no resemblance to the latest Brad Pitt flick titled 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith'. In Hitchcock's flick, Robert Montgomery and Carole Lombard played Mr. David Smith & Mrs. Ann Smith. While in the 2005 blockbuster, Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie play Mr. John Smith & Mrs. Jane Smith. Angelina accepted the role that Nicole Kidman refused.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Daily Trivia # 13

For many years umbrellas were referred to as Hanways as a tribute to Jonas Hanway, the first Londoner to carry an umbrella. The poor man was hustled, hooted and laughed at for this habit of his.

Monday, June 20, 2005

Daily Trivia # 12

The Apollo 11 plaque left on the Moon says, "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon July 1969, A.D. WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND."

The G in Kenny G & All That

Kenny G = Kenny Gorelick
JC Penney = James Cash Penney
HG Wells = Herbert George Wells
LL Cool J = Ladies Love Cool James
MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar = Mayavaram Krishnamurthy Thyagaraja Bhagavathar
AA Milne = Alan Alexander Milne
BB King = Blues Boy King
ML Jaisimha = Motganhalli Laxmanarsu Jaisimha
J Jonah Jameson = John Jonah Jameson
JK Rowling = Joanne Kathleen Rowling
JWHT Douglas = John William Henry Tyler Douglas
OJ Simpson = Orenthal James Simpson
EE Cummings = Edward Estlin Cummings
PG Wodehouse = Pelham Grenville Wodehouse
JRR Tolkien = John Ronald Ruel Tolkien
CK Nayudu = Cottari Kanakaiya Nayudu
RJ Reynolds = Richard Joshua Reynolds
CB Fry = Charles Burgess Fry
AC Nielsen = Arthur Charles Nielsen
AO Hume =Alan Octavian Hume
DW Griffith = David Wark Griffith
DK Pattammal = Dammal Krishnaswamy Pattammal
WC Fields = William Claude Dukenfield
WB Yeats = William Butler Yeats
GN Balasubramanium = Gudalur Narayanaswamy Balasubramanium
ML Vasanthakumari = Madras Lalithangi Vasanthakumari
SP Balasubramanyam = Sripati Panditaradhyula Balasubramnyam
RK Narayan = Rasipuram Krishnaswamy Naryanan
MS Subalakshmi = Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subalakshmi
James T Kirk = James Tiberius Kirk
PB Srinivas = Prativadha Bhayankara Srinivas
MG Ramachandran = Marudur Gopalamenon Ramachandran
WG Grace = William Gilbert Grace
MC Escher = Maurits Cornelis Escher
JJ Cale = Jean Jacques Cale

I still haven't figured out the TM in TM Soundarrajan, the P in P Susheela, YG in YG Mahendran and SVe in Sve Shekar. It would be great if someone tells me the same.

Sunday, June 19, 2005

Daily Trivia # 11

Jim Morroson of The Doors was the first rock star to be arrested on stage.

100 Great Palindromes

1. Zeus sees Suez.
2. Xerxes was stunned! Eden nuts saw sex, rex!
3. Won't lovers revolt now?
4. What! So he is hanged, is he? So what?
5. Was it a cat I saw?
6. Warsaw was raw.
7. Too bad, I hid a boot.
8. Tuna nut.
9. Ten animals I slam in a net.
10. Tarzan raised a Desi Arnaz rat.
11. Swap for a pair of paws?
12. Step on no pets.
13. Stella won no wallets.
14. Star sees rats.
15. Star comedy by Democrats.
16. Solo gigolos.
17. Slap my gym pals.
18. Seen knees.
19. See referees.
20. Sex-aware era waxes.
21. Rot can rob a born actor.
22. Rise to vote, sir.
23. Retard rater.
24. Redraw a warder.
25. Red rum, sir, is murder.
26. Red Nevada vendor.
27. Rats drown in WordStar.
28. Racecar.
29. Pets never even step.
30. Poor Dan is in a droop.
31. Play Latin on Italy Alp.
32. Party-trap.
33. Panic in a Titanic, I nap.
34. Pals slap.
35. Otto made Ned a motto.
36. Oozy rat in a sanitary zoo.
37. On a clover, if alive, erupts a vast, pure evil; a fire volcano.
38. OJ nabs Bob's banjo.
39. Oh, cameras are macho.
40. Nurses run.
41. Norma, I am Ron.
42. Now I see, referees, I won.
43. No yarn in rayon?
44. No, tie it on.
45. No, slang is a signal, son.
46. No pet so tragic as a cigar to step on.
47. Not a ton.
48. Noon.
49. No, Mel Gibson is a casino's big lemon.
50. Noel, let's egg Estelle on.
51. No Garden, One Dragon
52. No lemons. No Melon.
53. Never odd or even.
54. Nip a pin.
55. Nina Ricci I ran in.
56. Name no one man.
57. Nail Lillian!
58. My gym taxes sex at my gym.
59. Must sell at tallest sum.
60. Mix a maxim.
61. Mirror rim.
62. Madam I'm Adam.
63. Ma is a nun, as I am.
64. Lonely Tylenol.
65. Live not on evil.
66. Lived on Decaf, faced no devil.
67. Laptops spot pal.
68. Late Bill is ill, I bet, Al.
69. Laminate pet animal.
70. "Kodak ad O.K.!"
71. Knits stink!
72. I did, did I?
73. If I had a hi-fi.
74. I prefer pi.
75. Hug a bared nun under a bag, uh?
76. Harass Sarah!
77. God damn! Mad dog.
78. Go hang a salami, I'm a lasagna hog.
79. Gigawatt Ottawa gig.
80. Gateman's nametag.
81. Feeble Tom's motel beef.
82. Evil olive.
83. Eve damned Eden.
84. E.T. is opposite.
85. Eros saw I was sore.
86. Erin is in ire.
87. Emil saw a slime.
88. Egad! No bondage!
89. Eh, Canada had an ache?
90. Dumb mobs bomb mud.
91. Dr. Awkward.
92. Draw nine men inward.
93. Don't nod.
94. Dennis sinned.
95. Dammit, I'm mad!
96. DNA-land.
97. Ah, Satan sees Natasha.
98. Aid nine men, India.
99. A Santa at NASA.
100. Able was I ere I saw elba.

Saturday, June 18, 2005

Mad Magazine Quiz

1. What’s common to How the West was Won, The King and I, All About Eve and the MAD Magazine?
Alfred Newman, after whom the MAD mascot was named, composed the music for these movies. I guess you are aware that before Alfred E. Newman, the character was called Melvin Coznowski and Mel Hanney.

2. He used the Morse code to sign his popular strip in the MAD magazine. Who?
Antonio Prohias for his Spy vs. Spy. He signs with dots and dashes to convey ‘by Prohias’.

3. Only once has MAD spoofed the TIME magazine. Tell me when. And what were they spoofing?
In 1982, Time Magazine announced the PC as the Man of the Year. MAD spoofed this and put a Pacman character “Irving Pac’ on its cover as the star of the year.

4. This one’s for the INSANELY MAD fans. What was odd about the MAD magazine cover that featured ET alongside Alfred E. Newman?
This is the only issue in which Alfred E. Newman appears with his teeth intact. By the way, ET’s touch magically fills the gaps...

5. In 1965, MAD created a Sport for Amateurs across the world. What did the Usual Gang of Idiots call it?
They called it the 43-Man Squamish.

6. Which movie did MAD spoof as Errant Bra-on Bitch?
Erin Brokovich, of course!

7. He did album covers for Miles Davis before the world recognized him as “MAD’s Maddest Cartoonist”. Who is this wacko?
Don Martin.

6. For 27 issues, MAD carried a tagline. Can you press recall memory and spit it out?
Humour in a jugular vein.

9.In 1980, the MAD folks produced an eminently forgettable comedy. Just gimme the name of the flick.
Up the Academy.

10. MAD and PLAYBOY have only one man in common. Namethe legend.
Harvey Kurtzman. He founded the MAD Magazine. And after quitting it, worked for Hugh Hefner at Playboy. He created a popular series there called Little Annie Fannie.

11. Which music artist has been featured the most number of times on the cover of the MAD magazine? Hint – Get ready for a nasty surprise.
Believe it or not - Eminem! He was featured four times. Michael Jackson and Madonna have been featured twice. Elvis was the first.

12. From April 2001, MAD started carrying ads. But that didn’t deter these intrepid souls from parodying brands. As if to prove a point they fucked the trip of ADIDAS. What according to MAD is ADIDAS? (Not, All Day I Dream About Sex)
Apparel Developed in Deplorable Asian Sweatshops.

13. An ad released for Atmore’s Mince Meat Plum Pudding in the Illustrated London News in 1895 saved the MAD magazine in 1965. How?
In 1965, Helen Pratt Stuff slapped a case against MAD magazine. The charge was the character Alfred E. Newman was created by her husband in 1914 and MAD had just lifted it. MAD was about to lose the case...MAD did a lot of research. And found that in 1895 Atmore’s Mince Meat Plum Pudding had released an ad using a similar looking character. This clinched the case for them. The court ruled that while MAD may not have created the character but they could use it as the character had been in public domain since 1895.

14. “You could do worse and you always have.” When does MAD use this slogan?
Alfred E. Newman uses this slogan whenever he runs for presidency.

15. If Capt. Kirk was Capt. Quirk, and Luke Skywalker was Lube Skystalker who was MAD’s version of Sherlock Holmes?
Shermlock Shomes. He made his debut in ‘The hound of the basketballs’!

16. In 1954, Dr. Fredrick Wertham wrote a book called Seduction of the Innocent. How did this change the face of MAD?
Basically Wertham came up with this hypothesis that comic books featuring spooky horror stories caused juvenile delinquency. Strangely, the senate bought his theory. They clamped down on all comics that featured anything that may corrupt kids, through something called the Comics Code Authority. MAD was born in these turbulent times as a comic book. The moment they sensed trouble they quickly converted themselves into a magazine. Stopped horror spoofs. And evolved into its present avtaar.

17. MAD had a delicious way of presenting its price. When it costed 25 cents they called it ‘cheap’, at 40 cents they said ‘ouch’, what did they say when the price was 30 cents?
Highway robbery!

18. How many spies have been featured in Spy vs. Spy?
Three. Black, white and grey. The grey spy is a lady.

19. Known for subtler humour, this illustrator cum writer often featured himself in his “Lighter Side of ________” strips under the pseudonym Richard Kaputnik. He died in 2002. Currently, MAD is running a nationwide cartoonist contest to choose his replacement. Who is this Madman?
Dave Berg

20. He came up with two brilliant features - Fold-ins and Snappy Answers for Stupid Questions in the MAD magazine. Who?
Al Jafee

Daily Trivia # 10

Actress Rani Mukherjee has two dogs - Tin Tin & Simba.

Friday, June 17, 2005

Daily Trivia # 9

The lowest string on a violin is called the G-string!

All is Vanity


All is Vanity, originally uploaded by quizlova.

That's the title of this fantastic piece by Charles Allen Gilbert. He made this now famous illustration in 1892. He was 18 years old at that time! The painting remained unsold for many years until a decade later, when Gilbert finally sold the original to the Life Publishing Co, a tiny cartoon tabloid sold in railroad stations for a nickel. When it appeared in 1902, the optical illusion created a sensation. Ever since, so many people have copied it. Rock groups Def Leppard and Damned used it as their album covers. Christian Dior appropriated this imagery for advertising their Poison perfume.The ad went on to win many awards. Awards that legitimately belong to Charles Allen Gilbert!

Thursday, June 16, 2005

Daily Trivia # 8

Panchapakesan aka Delhi Kumar is the biological dad of actor Arvind Swami. Delhi Kumar got his slice of fame with 'Dum, Dum, Dum' and the tamil serial 'Metti Oli'.

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Daily Trivia # 7

Nintendo is composed of 3 Japanese Kanji characters, Nin-ten-do, which can be translated to 'Heaven blesses hard work'.

Blockbuster Taglines # 1

Catch her if you can - Runaway Bride

The true story of a real fake - Catch Me If You Can

Collide with destiny - Titanic

Born into wealth. Groomed by the elite. Trained for combat. - Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

He saw the world in a way no one could have imagined - A Beautiful Mind

The greatest trick that the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he didn’t exist - The Usual Suspects

There are 3.7 trillion fish in the ocean*, they're looking for one - Finding Nemo

The greatest fairy tale never told - Shrek

America was born in the streets - Gangs of New York

Brace yourself for Melvin - As Good As It Gets

Run. The truce is ending. - The Village

He's the best there is! (Actually, he's the only one there is.) - Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Here comes the bride - Kill Bill: Volume 1

She brought a small town to its feet and a huge corporation to its knees - Erin Brokovich

Your life is on the line - Phone Booth

Reality is a thing of the past - The Matrix

Finally...a man is listening - What Women Want

A tale of murder, lust, greed, revenge, and seafood. - A Fish Called Wanda

The Fastest Hands In The East Meet The Biggest Mouth In The West - Rush Hour

The Rain is coming... and so is the Family - Monsoon Wedding

Time To Kick Some Asteroid - Armageddon

The guy next door just became the man upstairs - Bruce Almighty

Get ready for rush hour - Speed

Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire. - Schindler's List

A Hero Will Rise - Gladiator

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

"I didn't know it was called this phobia"

Agraphobia: Fear of sexual abuse
Antlophobia: Fear of floods
Anuptaphobia: Fear of staying single
Atychiphobia: Fear of failure
Aviophobia: Fear of flying
Bathmophobia: Fear of stairs or steep slopes
Carcinophobia: Fear of cancer
Catagelophobia: Fear of being ridiculed
Chorophobia: Fear of dancing
Coprastasophobia: Fear of constipation
Didaskaleinophobia: Fear of going to school
Dromophobia: Fear of crossing the street
Dystychiphobia: Fear of accidents
Gamophobia: Fear of marriage
Gerascophobia: Fear of growing old
Harpaxophobia: Fear of being robbed
Hypegiaphobia: Fear of responsibility
Iatrophobia: Fear of going to the doctor
Liticaphobia: Fear of lawsuits
Mastigophobia: Fear of punishments
Necrophobia: Fear of death
Nosocomephobia: Fear of hospitals
Obesophobia: Fear of gaining weight
Pentheraphobia: Fear of mother-in-law
Psellismophobia: Fear of stuttering

Daily Trivia # 6

Klapka is the K in Jerome K Jerome. And Kindred is the K in Philip K Dick.

Rhyme Time # 1

A Brit with charm and wit
Churchill wrote his dad’s obit
Books he wrote in his life
Were termed pornography by his wife.
Who?

Ian Fleming

Monday, June 13, 2005

Daily Trivia # 5

It's a well known fact that Tamil Superstar Rajinikanth (aka Shivaji Rao Gaekwad) used to be a bus conductor between 1972 and 1975. His partner was driver Raj Bahadur. Together, they used to steer Bus Number 10A from Srinagar to Majestic in Bangalore. Raj was and is a good friend of Rajini. He helped him in the early days when Rajini moved to Chennai. As a tribute to this trait of Raj, Rajini cast him in the 'Devuda Devuda' song in his latest hit 'Chandramukhi'. Raj Bahadur is the chap who mouths the word 'repeatu' the fourth time in the song.

Daily Trivia # 4

Mekalai Pictures, was the name of the production company started by two unlikely partners - MGR & Karunanidhi.

Who's this?


Who's this?, originally uploaded by quizlova.

That's Harpo Marx, as sketched by his good friend, Salvador Dali. The portrait is very apt because it captures a trademark Harpo trait. Another noticeable trait in his flicks was, Adolph Arthur Marx rarely spoke. Harpo encashed this trait by naming his autobiography, Harpo Speaks.

Sunday, June 12, 2005

Daily Trivia # 3

BRADMAN WILL BE BATTING TOMORROW, was the code phrase used by the Allied troops for the assault on the monastery at Monte Cassino, Italy, in March 1944.

Thursday, June 09, 2005

Daily Trivia # 2

Outlook editor, Vinod Mehta, has an odd name for his dog - Editor.

Brilliant Quotes From Bette Midler

"When it's three o'clock in New York, it's still 1938 in London."

"After thirty, a body has a mind of its own."

"I married a German. Every night I dress up as Poland and he invades me."

"I wouldn't say I invented tacky, but I definitely brought it to its present high popularity."

"If sex is such a natural phenomenon, how come there are so many books on how to do it?"

"Rap is poetry set to music. But to me it's like a jackhammer."

(courtesy brainyquote.com)

Rare Limerick by Arthur C. Clarke

A limerick on Stanley Kubrick, the man who made his story into the now famous 2001: A Space Odyssey.

For MGM did Kubrick, Stan
A stately astrodome decree
While Art, the science writer, ran
Through plots incredible to man,
In search of solvency.

The Little Boy


The Little Boy, originally uploaded by quizlova.

The man in the picture is Col. Paul Warfield Tibbets, the pilot of Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the 'little boy' bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killing almost 80,000 people. He named the plane after his mom.

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Daily Trivia # 1

Vin Diesel's production company is named One Race.