Why am I shutting down this blog?
Because I have to find answers for life's larger questions.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Friday, July 28, 2006
Quick Poser # 1
Isaak & O Saathi Re were considered. But finally X was chosen as the title of the film after an audience poll. Identify X.
Omkara
Omkara
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Quick Trivia # 1
Boman Irani used to run a chips company that owned a brand by the name, 'Golden Wafers'.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Thematic Quiz : Offensive Trivia
1. In ancient times, the Romans called it the Digitus Infamis. How do we know it better now?
The Middle Finger.
2. Only two X-rated films have ever been nominated for an Oscar (Best Picture Category). One won the Oscar. One didn’t. Name both.
Midnight Cowboy & A Clockwork Orange. Clockwork lost out to French Connection in 1973.
3. Calista Flockhardt, Alanis Morissette, Brooke Shields and Glenn Close have all performed in this Eve Ensler Cult Play. Gimme the name of the play.
Vagina Monologues.
4. Some years back there was an Indian portal called gaandmasti.com. If you sign up for their portal, they used to confer you with a cool title. What was the title?
Gaandu!
5. These are the first lines from a popular chuck berry number:
When I was a little biddy boy
My grandma bought me a cute little toy
Two Silver bells on a string
She told me it was my ________
Just fill in the blanks.
Ding-a-Ling
6. What’s common to - Anthropophagus, Slubberdelugians, Guanogatherers, Certified Diplodocuses and Dunderheaded Coconuts?
These are some original insults from Captain Haddock.
7. “No _______ ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb ________ by die for his country.” What’s the dash in this unforgettable Gen. Patton quote?
Bastard.
8. “…my indifference is boundless,”
“…it makes my gorge rise,”
“…I don’t give a hoot,”
“…nothing could interest me less,”
“…I just don’t care.”
These were the options before David Selznick. Instead he chose to pay a fine of
$5000 and use the original line. What was the original line?
“Frankly my dear…I don’t give a Damn,” the immortal last line of the film ‘Gone with the Wind’.
9. In Chennai slang, if someone calls you a BJP what do they mean?
Bhayangara Jollu Party. (Bhayangara = incorrigble, Jollu = lech)
10. The movie 'Scarface' created a record in the 1980s by using the F-word 206 times. Today, it’s a pale no.3. Which movies are No.1 & No.2?
'Casino' used the 4-letter word 362 times. 'Pulp Fiction' used it 271 times. 'Good Fellas' came a close third by using it 246 times. Though 'South Park – Bigger, Longer, Uncut' has a reputation for being a movie filled with expletives…Guardian puts the f-word count as 140 odd.
The Middle Finger.
2. Only two X-rated films have ever been nominated for an Oscar (Best Picture Category). One won the Oscar. One didn’t. Name both.
Midnight Cowboy & A Clockwork Orange. Clockwork lost out to French Connection in 1973.
3. Calista Flockhardt, Alanis Morissette, Brooke Shields and Glenn Close have all performed in this Eve Ensler Cult Play. Gimme the name of the play.
Vagina Monologues.
4. Some years back there was an Indian portal called gaandmasti.com. If you sign up for their portal, they used to confer you with a cool title. What was the title?
Gaandu!
5. These are the first lines from a popular chuck berry number:
When I was a little biddy boy
My grandma bought me a cute little toy
Two Silver bells on a string
She told me it was my ________
Just fill in the blanks.
Ding-a-Ling
6. What’s common to - Anthropophagus, Slubberdelugians, Guanogatherers, Certified Diplodocuses and Dunderheaded Coconuts?
These are some original insults from Captain Haddock.
7. “No _______ ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb ________ by die for his country.” What’s the dash in this unforgettable Gen. Patton quote?
Bastard.
8. “…my indifference is boundless,”
“…it makes my gorge rise,”
“…I don’t give a hoot,”
“…nothing could interest me less,”
“…I just don’t care.”
These were the options before David Selznick. Instead he chose to pay a fine of
$5000 and use the original line. What was the original line?
“Frankly my dear…I don’t give a Damn,” the immortal last line of the film ‘Gone with the Wind’.
9. In Chennai slang, if someone calls you a BJP what do they mean?
Bhayangara Jollu Party. (Bhayangara = incorrigble, Jollu = lech)
10. The movie 'Scarface' created a record in the 1980s by using the F-word 206 times. Today, it’s a pale no.3. Which movies are No.1 & No.2?
'Casino' used the 4-letter word 362 times. 'Pulp Fiction' used it 271 times. 'Good Fellas' came a close third by using it 246 times. Though 'South Park – Bigger, Longer, Uncut' has a reputation for being a movie filled with expletives…Guardian puts the f-word count as 140 odd.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Wiki Treasures # 3
Janus, Oceanus & Leverrier were three names considered for planet number 8. Finally on December 29, 1846, the scientific world chose Neptune.
Quick Trivia # 0
Chixalub is the name of the asteroid that's believed to have killed the dinosaurs some 60 million years ago.
Wiki Treasures # 2
The sentence, 'The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog' was developed by Western Union to test its telex machines.
Monday, May 08, 2006
I Missed His Book, But I Read His Name
Though authors are a dreadful clan
To be avoided if you can,
I'd like to meet the Indian,
M. Anantanarayanan.
I picture him as short and tan.
We'd meet, perhaps, in Hindustan.
I'd say, with admirable elan ,
"Ah, Anantanarayanan --
I've heard of you. The Times once ran
A notice on your novel, an
Unusual tale of God and Man."
And Anantanarayanan
Would seat me on a lush divan
And read his name -- that sumptuous span
Of 'a's and 'n's more lovely than
"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan" --
Aloud to me all day. I plan
Henceforth to be an ardent fan
of Anantanarayanan --
M. Anantanarayanan.
Wrote John Updike after seeing a review of a book by Mr. Ananthanaryanan. Can you tell me the name of the book? To know the answer click the comment link.
To be avoided if you can,
I'd like to meet the Indian,
M. Anantanarayanan.
I picture him as short and tan.
We'd meet, perhaps, in Hindustan.
I'd say, with admirable elan ,
"Ah, Anantanarayanan --
I've heard of you. The Times once ran
A notice on your novel, an
Unusual tale of God and Man."
And Anantanarayanan
Would seat me on a lush divan
And read his name -- that sumptuous span
Of 'a's and 'n's more lovely than
"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan" --
Aloud to me all day. I plan
Henceforth to be an ardent fan
of Anantanarayanan --
M. Anantanarayanan.
Wrote John Updike after seeing a review of a book by Mr. Ananthanaryanan. Can you tell me the name of the book? To know the answer click the comment link.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
How skilled are you?
In the ancient times, a well rounded person was expected to be skilled in 64 arts. The Valmiki Ramayan lists the Chausat Kalas as follows:
1.Histrionic talents, drama, story telling techniques and mnemonics.
2.Making musical instruments and simple mechanical devices.
3.Playing musical instruments that is instrumental music including jalatarangam- creating music with water, percussion and string instruments.
4.Decorating, dressmaking, costume making, artful dressing and personal grooming.
5.Ornaments and head adornments.
6.Singing, dancing and practicing fine arts.
7.Making beds and bedroom decorations.
8.Garland making, flower arrangement, designs with grains on the floor like rangoli.
9.Playing games like dice.
10.Mastering eroticism as per Vatsyayana, erotic devices and sexual arts.
11.Making honey, liquor, beverages and desserts.
12.Plucking out arrows and healing.
13.Cooking, eating and drinking skills.
14.Horticulture & forestry.
15.Breaking and pulverizing hardrock, mining.
16.Making medicines from herbs.
17.Sorting, mixing, isolating ingredients.
18.Making and using astras and sutras.
19.Wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, physical culture & body building.
20.Making missiles.
21.Parades, army bands and dharmic warfare.
22.Ratha, gaja & turaga wars (chariot, elephantry and cavalry).
23.Asanas, postures & mudras.
24.Training elephants, horses & birds.
25.Making vessels of clay, wood, bronze.
26.Drawing.
27.Making paints & painting.
28.Architecture, sculpture, house and temple construction, mosaic tiling.
29.Mixing air, water (air products and water products).
30.Making boats, ships, chariots.
31.Making threads, ropes.
32.Weaving and spinning.
33.Diamond, precious stones and gems - distinguishing them from ordinary ones.
34.Alchemy, chemistry, preparing ointments, unguents for charm and virility.
35.Jewellery making including artificial jewelry.
36.Gold plating, metallurgy.
37.Skinning and preserving bodies.
38.Leather technology.
39.Dairy farming.
40.Tailoring, sartorial skills and embroidery.
41.Swimming and water sports.
42.Cleaning houses and vessels.
43.Laundering and washing.
44.Hair dressing and shaving.
45.Managing oil resources.
46.Having control over others' minds, spells, charms & omens.
47.Tilling and agriculture.
48.Handicrafts including carpentry, furniture making and furnishing.
49.Making vessels of glass, ceramic and pottery.
50.Drawing water & resources.
51.Gardening and fencing.
52.Caprisoning elephants etc.
53.Child rearing & pediatrics including doll making and toy making for kids.
54.Punishing guilty appropriately by law and order.
55.Learning languages (native & foreign dialects), literary excellence, semantics.
56.Preparing `Tambool' etc.
57.Composing impromptu poetry.
58. Preparing perfumes, cosmetics, playing poetry games, oratory, elocution, prosody, rhetoric.
59.Sorcery, conjuring, sleight of hand, magic, illusions, impersonation.
60.Composing riddles, rhymes, verses, puzzles, tongue twisters and involved recitations.
61.Making swords, staffs & archery.
62.Training fighting partridges and rams, cock fight, bull fight etc.
63.Teaching parrots, mynas to talk and training animals, veterinary science.
64.Writing in cipher codes and languages, secret mantras, coding and decoding.
I think I'll get a score of 1.5/64. What about you?
1.Histrionic talents, drama, story telling techniques and mnemonics.
2.Making musical instruments and simple mechanical devices.
3.Playing musical instruments that is instrumental music including jalatarangam- creating music with water, percussion and string instruments.
4.Decorating, dressmaking, costume making, artful dressing and personal grooming.
5.Ornaments and head adornments.
6.Singing, dancing and practicing fine arts.
7.Making beds and bedroom decorations.
8.Garland making, flower arrangement, designs with grains on the floor like rangoli.
9.Playing games like dice.
10.Mastering eroticism as per Vatsyayana, erotic devices and sexual arts.
11.Making honey, liquor, beverages and desserts.
12.Plucking out arrows and healing.
13.Cooking, eating and drinking skills.
14.Horticulture & forestry.
15.Breaking and pulverizing hardrock, mining.
16.Making medicines from herbs.
17.Sorting, mixing, isolating ingredients.
18.Making and using astras and sutras.
19.Wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, physical culture & body building.
20.Making missiles.
21.Parades, army bands and dharmic warfare.
22.Ratha, gaja & turaga wars (chariot, elephantry and cavalry).
23.Asanas, postures & mudras.
24.Training elephants, horses & birds.
25.Making vessels of clay, wood, bronze.
26.Drawing.
27.Making paints & painting.
28.Architecture, sculpture, house and temple construction, mosaic tiling.
29.Mixing air, water (air products and water products).
30.Making boats, ships, chariots.
31.Making threads, ropes.
32.Weaving and spinning.
33.Diamond, precious stones and gems - distinguishing them from ordinary ones.
34.Alchemy, chemistry, preparing ointments, unguents for charm and virility.
35.Jewellery making including artificial jewelry.
36.Gold plating, metallurgy.
37.Skinning and preserving bodies.
38.Leather technology.
39.Dairy farming.
40.Tailoring, sartorial skills and embroidery.
41.Swimming and water sports.
42.Cleaning houses and vessels.
43.Laundering and washing.
44.Hair dressing and shaving.
45.Managing oil resources.
46.Having control over others' minds, spells, charms & omens.
47.Tilling and agriculture.
48.Handicrafts including carpentry, furniture making and furnishing.
49.Making vessels of glass, ceramic and pottery.
50.Drawing water & resources.
51.Gardening and fencing.
52.Caprisoning elephants etc.
53.Child rearing & pediatrics including doll making and toy making for kids.
54.Punishing guilty appropriately by law and order.
55.Learning languages (native & foreign dialects), literary excellence, semantics.
56.Preparing `Tambool' etc.
57.Composing impromptu poetry.
58. Preparing perfumes, cosmetics, playing poetry games, oratory, elocution, prosody, rhetoric.
59.Sorcery, conjuring, sleight of hand, magic, illusions, impersonation.
60.Composing riddles, rhymes, verses, puzzles, tongue twisters and involved recitations.
61.Making swords, staffs & archery.
62.Training fighting partridges and rams, cock fight, bull fight etc.
63.Teaching parrots, mynas to talk and training animals, veterinary science.
64.Writing in cipher codes and languages, secret mantras, coding and decoding.
I think I'll get a score of 1.5/64. What about you?
Friday, April 28, 2006
Wiki Treasures # 1
Learn well your grammar
And never stammer
Write well and neatly
And sing soft sweetly
Drink tea, not coffee;
Never eat toffy
Eat bread with butter
Once more don't stutter.
A poem written by Lewis Carroll when he was not allowed to become a priest, thanks to his stuttering. Source: Wikipedia.
And never stammer
Write well and neatly
And sing soft sweetly
Drink tea, not coffee;
Never eat toffy
Eat bread with butter
Once more don't stutter.
A poem written by Lewis Carroll when he was not allowed to become a priest, thanks to his stuttering. Source: Wikipedia.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Thursday, April 20, 2006
The Curious Words Quiz
1. There’s a mistaken impression that the more you press the elevator button the faster it will arrive. Some intelligent soul coined a word to describe this phenomenon. Just name the word for me.
2. Aibophobia is the fear of mechanical dogs. What is Aibohphobia?
3. “A current or former marriage in which one partner is gay or has had a gay affair.” Gimme the term that fits this description.
4. I know you know what an eye candy is. Tell me what’s a thumb candy?
5. Tom Cruise wrongly referred to it as the Flugelbinder in the movie Cocktail. What is it actually called?
6. If I accuse you of being a Euclionist, what will I be accusing you of?
7. Zugzwang is a very curious Chess term It alludes to a situation when you have to make a move, you don’t want to. But sometimes by a stroke of luck a Zugzwang could work for you. What do you call a Zugzwang situation when both the players don’t wish to make a move because the first guy to do it will lose the game? (Clue – There’s a famous font by the same name.)
8. Abso-blooming-lutely and Inde-bloody-pently are examples of?
9. Two geologists IJ Bear and RG Thomas coined this evocative word in 1964. It’s a sweet coinage for the smell of wet earth after the first rain. What’s the good word?
10. Suppose a director doesn’t want to be associated with the film he has created, the Director’s Guild of America, expects him to use a certain pseudonym in the credits. What is the recommended pseudonym?
To view the answers, click on the comment link.
2. Aibophobia is the fear of mechanical dogs. What is Aibohphobia?
3. “A current or former marriage in which one partner is gay or has had a gay affair.” Gimme the term that fits this description.
4. I know you know what an eye candy is. Tell me what’s a thumb candy?
5. Tom Cruise wrongly referred to it as the Flugelbinder in the movie Cocktail. What is it actually called?
6. If I accuse you of being a Euclionist, what will I be accusing you of?
7. Zugzwang is a very curious Chess term It alludes to a situation when you have to make a move, you don’t want to. But sometimes by a stroke of luck a Zugzwang could work for you. What do you call a Zugzwang situation when both the players don’t wish to make a move because the first guy to do it will lose the game? (Clue – There’s a famous font by the same name.)
8. Abso-blooming-lutely and Inde-bloody-pently are examples of?
9. Two geologists IJ Bear and RG Thomas coined this evocative word in 1964. It’s a sweet coinage for the smell of wet earth after the first rain. What’s the good word?
10. Suppose a director doesn’t want to be associated with the film he has created, the Director’s Guild of America, expects him to use a certain pseudonym in the credits. What is the recommended pseudonym?
To view the answers, click on the comment link.
Friday, April 07, 2006
The Mandal Quiz
This quiz is dedicated to the Minister of Generosity - Shri Arjun Singh. For those who came in late, this quiz has been structured in such a way that 49.5% of the questions are really, really easy. To help the underprivileged quizzers I have even thrown in an acrostic hint. For the intellectually disadvantaged who do not know what's an acrostic hint, here's a chota primer:
The acrostic hint is a phrase constructed with the first letters of the answers. The acrostic hint for this quiz is BACKWARD THINKING. So if there are 16 questions, the first answer will start with the alphabet B, the second answer with A, the third with C, so on and so forth. So, once you know the first letter, you can work the answer backwards.
THE QUESTIONS (Acrostic Hint: Backward Thinking)
1. In Hindu Mythology, who rides a chariot named Taladwaja?
2. What word was coined by Paul Eugene Bleuler in the 1912 edition of American Journal of Insanity?
3. Which city opted for the name Kolkatta in 1999?
4. Potassium's chemical symbol is K. Just tell me what K stands for.
5. What was launched by Sony in the year 1979 under the name 'Soundabout'?
6. What was formed in 1972 by four Swedes named Agnetha Fältskog , Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad?
7. This company was called Wilsforf & Davis till 1915. Which one am I talking about?
8. Dumb and Dumberer was the sequel. Gimme the name of the original.
9. Thompson was one of the Thompson Twins. Who was the other?
10. Hugh Hefner is to Playboy is as to Larry Flint is to _________?
11. The band Bombalurina is remembered best for which song?
12. What's Japanese for 'concealed or in stealth'?
13. Which movie's tagline was 'Here comes the bride'?
14. Dubya has a black cat as pet. What is its name?
15. What is the real name of Kollywood star Mumtaj?
16. What was Priyanka Gandhi's surname before she became Priyanka Vadra?
SCORING SYSTEM:
If you answer less than 50% of these questions, consider yourself lucky. Arjun Singh may help you get to the stage (in quiz shows) with some reservations.
If you get more than 50%, you get nothing but the Forward Class tag.
To view the answers, click on the comment link.
The acrostic hint is a phrase constructed with the first letters of the answers. The acrostic hint for this quiz is BACKWARD THINKING. So if there are 16 questions, the first answer will start with the alphabet B, the second answer with A, the third with C, so on and so forth. So, once you know the first letter, you can work the answer backwards.
THE QUESTIONS (Acrostic Hint: Backward Thinking)
1. In Hindu Mythology, who rides a chariot named Taladwaja?
2. What word was coined by Paul Eugene Bleuler in the 1912 edition of American Journal of Insanity?
3. Which city opted for the name Kolkatta in 1999?
4. Potassium's chemical symbol is K. Just tell me what K stands for.
5. What was launched by Sony in the year 1979 under the name 'Soundabout'?
6. What was formed in 1972 by four Swedes named Agnetha Fältskog , Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad?
7. This company was called Wilsforf & Davis till 1915. Which one am I talking about?
8. Dumb and Dumberer was the sequel. Gimme the name of the original.
9. Thompson was one of the Thompson Twins. Who was the other?
10. Hugh Hefner is to Playboy is as to Larry Flint is to _________?
11. The band Bombalurina is remembered best for which song?
12. What's Japanese for 'concealed or in stealth'?
13. Which movie's tagline was 'Here comes the bride'?
14. Dubya has a black cat as pet. What is its name?
15. What is the real name of Kollywood star Mumtaj?
16. What was Priyanka Gandhi's surname before she became Priyanka Vadra?
SCORING SYSTEM:
If you answer less than 50% of these questions, consider yourself lucky. Arjun Singh may help you get to the stage (in quiz shows) with some reservations.
If you get more than 50%, you get nothing but the Forward Class tag.
To view the answers, click on the comment link.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
TV Commercials Quiz
1. Guinness Beer's commercial 'noitulovE' is the most talked about spot in 2005. It tells the history of life in 50 seconds flat. All you have to do is to tell me what's 'noitulovE'?
2. Which former English cricketer gave the voiceover in the Vodafone 'Mayfly' commercial?
3. "The Way Things Go" a 30-minute film by F. Fischli & D. Weiss in 1987, was the inspiration for which award winning commercial?
4. Who's gonna direct an Amitabh & Tabu flick named 'Cheeni Kum'?
5. Pradeep Sarkar, the director of 'Parineeta' is a renowned ad filmmaker. Can you tell me the name of his ad film outfit?
6. American Express aired a 2-minute commercial for the first time during the recently concluded Oscars show with the theme 'My Life, My card". Who directed the film?
7. Carmichael Lynch, the ad agency behind the legendary Harley Davidson work, commissioned the services of an Indian director to shoot a commercial for Gibson guitars. The commercial was titled 'Empress'. Can you name the director?
8. Who croons the jingle 'Jee Lalchaye Raha Na Jaye' in the Alpenliebe commercials?
9. Who scored the music for the Fevicol Bus commercial that won the Cannes Silver Lion in 2002?
10. What's common to Krish Srikkanth & the Hutch Dog?
To view the answers, click on the comment link.
2. Which former English cricketer gave the voiceover in the Vodafone 'Mayfly' commercial?
3. "The Way Things Go" a 30-minute film by F. Fischli & D. Weiss in 1987, was the inspiration for which award winning commercial?
4. Who's gonna direct an Amitabh & Tabu flick named 'Cheeni Kum'?
5. Pradeep Sarkar, the director of 'Parineeta' is a renowned ad filmmaker. Can you tell me the name of his ad film outfit?
6. American Express aired a 2-minute commercial for the first time during the recently concluded Oscars show with the theme 'My Life, My card". Who directed the film?
7. Carmichael Lynch, the ad agency behind the legendary Harley Davidson work, commissioned the services of an Indian director to shoot a commercial for Gibson guitars. The commercial was titled 'Empress'. Can you name the director?
8. Who croons the jingle 'Jee Lalchaye Raha Na Jaye' in the Alpenliebe commercials?
9. Who scored the music for the Fevicol Bus commercial that won the Cannes Silver Lion in 2002?
10. What's common to Krish Srikkanth & the Hutch Dog?
To view the answers, click on the comment link.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Quick Trivia # 37
"A term often heard for high-quality coffee is degree coffee. Milk certified as pure with a lactometer was called degree milk owing to a mistaken association with the thermometer. Coffee prepared with degree milk became known as degree coffee."
Source: Wikipedia.
Source: Wikipedia.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Just One Question # 2
Which popular cleanser brand was originally named 'Liquor Cresolis Compositus'?
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Quick Trivia # 9
Herb Caen, a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist from San Fransisco, coined two words that defined a generation - 'Beatnik' and 'Hippie'.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Just One Question # 1
What's common to Ambush, Chosen, The Follow, Star, Powder Keg, Hostage, Beat the Devil and Ticker?
Friday, January 20, 2006
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