Five more that bit the dust

1. It gets its name from the fact that it was observed mostly around Christmas by South American fishermen. A study conducted in 1998 also alludes to this having caused poor crop yields in Europe in 1789-93 which in turn might have helped spark of the French Revolution.
What?

2. Students at the Univ Of Konstanz recently demoed a unique project aimed at providing a revolutionary new navigation system for the blind that analyzed the space around them and then helped them to navigate the space by giving voice instructions.
This system consisted of a belt to be worn by the user which housed the feedback system and helmet with a device mounted on it that formed the heart of this system.
Which “unusual” device did this system use?

3. In the 1600’s when Christopher Wren was redesigning the St. Paul’s Cathedral he was faced with a peculiar problem. He wanted to construct a huge dome but did not know the structure would support the weight.
He posed this problem to his friend X who incidentally had been studying the work of Christian Huygens related to chains. X suggested that Wren should design the dome in the form of an inverted chain since that dome can support its own weight and does not need external support. He even came with the equation to describe such a catenary dome and Wren went back and constructed such a dome and the rest is history.Who was the unlikely architect of the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral?

4. Composed of large, white, sweeping dunes, Lencois Maranhenses, a national park and not a desert, lies just outside the Amazon basin. The region is subject to a regular rain season during the beginning of the year which cause a peculiar phenomenon: fresh water collects in the valleys between sand dunes, spotting the desert with blue and green lagoons. Why or how do we know this place?

5. Super 30 is a highly ambitious and innovative educational program which hunts for 30 meritorious talents from among the economically backward sections of the society and shapes them for India's most prestigious institution – the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). After which famous Indian is it named?

Few questions from the quiz on the 11th of January

Here are some of the questions from yet another blockbuster quiz at HQC on the 14th of October done by Praveen.

1. Chewits,a British confectionary firm,released a list of most scary villains this Christmas.The Joker topped it. Darth Vader and Freddy Keuger came third and fourth.Who was second?

A: George W. Bush

2. ____ and _____ were the largest seafaring provinces in Netherlands and hence these two countries originally discovered by Dutch sailors were named as X and Y.While X later changed to Z the name Y stuck.Id X,Y,Z

A: X = Holland, Y = Zeeland, Z = Australia

3. X was so popular in England that the Germans aimed to make a fatal blow to the public confidence by attributing his death in 1915 to a Zeppelin attack. X?

A: W.G.Grace

4. This set of 30 people received an exclusive gift hamper set consisting of Nokia N-Series cell phones,a gold coin,a custom T-Shirt and personalized letter of thanks.Who and why?

A: The stars in the "all star" song from Om Shanti Om as they refused to charge money for appearance.

5. X died in prison on April 28, 1918 due to tuberculosis. Being too young to receive the death penalty X received the maximum sentence of twenty years in prison. What was he imprisoned for?

A: X was Gavrilo Princip, imprisoned for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, which act precipitated World War I.

6. The first use of this term is attributed to Alfred Thayer Mahan an American naval strategist in an article published in Sept 1902
"The ___________, if I may adopt a term which I have not seen, will some day need its Malta, as well as its Gibraltar; it does not follow that either will be in the Persian Gulf. Naval force has the quality of mobility which carries with it the privilege of temporary absences; but it needs to find on every scene of operation established bases of refit, of supply, and in case of disaster, of security. The British Navy should have the facility to concentrate in force if occasion arise, about Aden, India, and the Persian Gulf "

A: Middle East

7. The kidnapping & murder Adam Walsh was a landmark case in the US bringing about a number of changes like establishment of National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, The Code Adam program for helping lost children in department stores and also the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act.Besides these,the murder also led to something very famous.What it is?

A: America's Most Wanted

8. The recent boxing day test match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka brought back a tradition last seen 13 years ago to facilitate the general elections held in the country.Which tradition?

A: Rest day

9. Mona Simpson is an American novelist and essayist who's written popular books like Anywhere But Here,Lost Father and A Regular Guy.She's the younger sister of X. Because X was placed for adoption as a baby by their then-unmarried parents, she first met her sibling only as an adult.ID X?

A report of the quiz will be up soon...
A: Steve Jobs

10. A particular graveyard in Burlington, Vermont is the only of its kind, with each addition made with huge fanfare.Who/what is buried in this graveyard?

A: Ben & Jerry's flavours

Report on the HQC monthly quiz on 14th December

QM: Navneet Bal

Format: Teams of 2

Report: Navneet delivered a masterpiece of a quiz.

The attendence was low. While there are theories of pressing engagements and exams we blame it on the 'lazy Sunday morning' syndrome. The low attendence was however the perfect setting for a very serious and classic quiz by Navneet. As usual the quiz threw up a few new faces which again proved that as far as quizzing in Hyderabad is concerned, people needn't worry.

The quiz was divided into two infinite bounce rounds split by a breather. It was a fantastic quiz with a lot of questions on history, Geography, War, Sports and India.

Without being disrespectful to others a team consisting of Ravi and Praveen in a history, geography and war quiz was the team to beat. Despite a splendid performnace, Diwakar and Debjit fell short of beating the eventual winners. Team Priyambad and Afzaal finished a close third.

The venue as usual was provided by Innobox. A big thank you for them.

The quiz lasted almost two hours, and left the entire group thoroughly satisfied with having taken the effort to wake up and show up for the fantastic quiz. Thank you very much Navneet for a splendid quiz.

Winners:
1. Ravi, Praveen, Satish
2. Diwakar, Debjit
3. Priyambad, Afzaal

Thumbs Up
1. Great questions
2. Navneet (Finally a question on Ijazat :) )
3. As usual the fantastic venue
4. The Hitchcock question and the Micheal Holding question

Thumbs Down
3. None actually

Team HQC’s Note
Our thanks to everyone who took time off on a lazy Sunday morning to attend.

The next quiz will be by Praveen and is scheduled for 11th January, 2008 (Sunday) at the same time and in the same place. As it is 'Odyssey Quiz' time, people can come with their own 3 member teams for the January Monthly.

HQC monthly on 14th December - Some pics

Have a look at the fantastic venue provided by Innobox to us.

We will soon put a review of the sensational quiz by Navneet. Till then do with some pics.

Navneet the quizmaster getting the applause.



Awe and shock for Sharda ! Debjit can't take it anymore !!


Kiddo unleashing his rendition of Raag Megh Malhaar on the hapless people


Some magic trick?

Report on the 12 October - HQC Monthly Quiz

QM: Pradeep Ramarathnam (In absentia as he was busy participating in a quiz in Bombay / Pune) – Was done by Nitish instead who did a commendable job by sacrificing a place for the spoils – Dude you deserve your Biryani (will see what I can do)

Format: Teams of 4. There were exactly 32 people in 8 teams ap.

Report: Pradeep, the quizmaster couldn’t be here as he was busy participating in a quiz faraway in Pune and had sent us the questions. Nitish had to become the quizmaster for the day and did a commendable job.

In terms of attendance, the quiz was just perfect with exactly 32 people in 8 teams. A lot of new faces were present which was a very healthy sign as far as quizzing in Hyderabad is concerned.

The quiz was divided into two infinite bounce rounds split by a written round and a theme round. The theme round had some memorable questions but was too elementary to crack. Most of the teams went around it and missed it.

It was a sensational quiz nonetheless. The quiz was full of brilliant questions without becoming too obscure – Super show Pradeep.

In a very close finish the team of Diwakar, Raghavendra, Vishal and Navneet pipped the team comprising Chandu, B.Aditya and Vignesh. Team Raghu, Muneer and Rahul Girish finished a close third.

The venue as usual was provided by Innobox. A big thank you for them.

The quiz lasted almost two hours, and left the entire group thoroughly satisfied with having taken the effort to wake up early on an otherwise sleepy day.

Winners:
1. Diwakar, Vishal, Raghavendra & Navneet
2. Chandu, Vignesh and B. Aditya.
3. Raghu, Rahul Girish & Muneer.

Thumbs Up
1. Great questions (Kudos to Pradeep)
2. Navneet (Neville D’Souza – How on earth!!!)
3. Cozy and comfortable (air-conditioned?!) venue
4. The P word questions and the BC questions. 
5. A questions on the KK (both of them )

Thumbs Down
1. Navneet fast becoming the new Ravi Mundoli (Back to back winner) 
2. Venue felt cramped (which actually was a good sign)
3. The Subhash Ghai connect 

Memorable Questions:
Sutta, Golden Fleece, Oscar Wilde, Dravid questions.

Team HQC’s Note
Our thanks to everyone who took time off on a lazy Sunday morning to attend.

The next quiz will be by Latish Venugopal (Ladeeshmogan of the Crucible fame) is scheduled for 9th November, 2008 (Sunday) at the same time and in the same place.

Open quiz in Hyderabad on 12th of October

The next quiz by HQC is on Sunday, the 12th of October. Here are the details:

Date: 12 October 2008, Sunday

Time: Please be at the venue by 10:30 a.m. for registration. Seating will be on a first come first served basis. The quiz will begin at 11:00 a.m. sharp.

Venue:
Innobox Systems Pvt Ltd.
#G19, Ground Floor,
Swarnajayanthi Complex,
SR Nagar, Hyderabad -73
(see below for directions and map)

Format: Team quiz, with a little bit for everyone.

Entry: A contribution of Rs. 25 per head.
Teams of 3 (or more) will be chosen from the participants at random.

Prizes: Gift vouchers worth Rs 1500/-

Quizmaster: Pradeep Ramarathnam of BQC (Bombay Quiz Club)

Directions:
From Punjagutta, take the road that goes towards Ameerpet. Cross the Fantoosh-greenlands road junction. Keep going on the road till you see HUDA Complex- Maitrivanam on the RIGHT. Swarnajayanti Complex is the complex immediately after the HUDA complex on the RIGHT.

Map:


















Contact: Nitish (98856 79460), Priyambad (99484 53388)

Greenko - Hyderabad Open Quiz Prelims questions (non audio-video)

1. The cover of a book by Narendra Luther. What is the title?
2. With reference to the human anatomy, the first seven sets of these are known as True, the next three sets are False and the next two are called the Floating. What?
3. This famous food item is made not from besan, as elsewhere in India , but from ground moth pulse, the only crop that flourishes in this arid land. A secret ingredient is a good fistful of fine, clean, desert sand mixed into the dough. These, together with the region's bone-dry air, are what give it that special crispness and long shelf life. What food item are we talking about?
4. Complete this quote attributed to Sam Manekshaw: “Anyone who says he doesn’t know fear is either lying or is a _________.”
5. Called the Ursus maritimus, this is the world's largest predator found on land. An adult male weighs around 300–600 kg , while an adult female is about half that size. The IUCN now lists global warming as the most significant threat to this animal, primarily because this reduces its ability to find sufficient food. What?
6. Listen to the piece. Identify the lead vocalist.
7. The US benchmark for pricing this commodity is West Texas Intermediate while the British and European benchmark is the variety that we are all familiar with. Other varieties include Saharan Blend from Algeria, Girassol from Angola, Minas from Indonesia, Iran Heavy, Basra Light from Iraq, Kuwait Export, Es Sider from Libya, Bonny Light from Nigeria, Saudi Arabia's Arab Light, Murban from theEmirates and BCF 17 from Venezuela. What commodity?
8. This was co-founded by Dick Durrell as a spin-off from Time magazine. Its first managing editor, Richard Stolley, characterized the magazine as “getting back to the people who are causing the news and who are caught up in it, or deserve to be in it. Our focus is on people, not issues.” The magazine is perhaps best known for its yearly special issues naming “The Most Beautiful People”, “The Best and Worst Dressed”, and “The Sexiest Man Alive”. What?
9. Connect the visual to the audio piece you will hear.
10. The Beijing National Stadium which will host the opening and closing ceremony of the Olympics and the track & field events has a nickname because of the way it looks. What is it?
11. These two words come from two Sanskrit words meaning “fear” and “sound”. Traditionally they were devotees of Lord Shiva and they lived in and around cremation ghats. It is said they exorcised the spirits of the dead. They have given their names to two musical ragas. Name either.
12. Take a look at the visual. Identify the country that has introduced currencies in such denominations.
13. Manuel Santana was the first person from a particular country to win a prestigious event in 1966. Who is the second person?
14. He is referred to by the title “King of Darkness”. He is treated as a personification of darkness itself even though he was once a human being who later became very powerful and committed many evil deeds. His trademark quote is “Andhera kaayam rahe!” (“May darkness persist!”), which is also used by his followers. It is said that the source of his strength is one-half of the Shakti Punj which he obtained by trickery. Who is this great villain?
15. On 7 July 2008, this Indian tourist attraction joined among others Melaka and George Town in Malaysia, the Kuk Early Agricultural Site in Papua New Guinea, Stari Grad Plain in Croatia, the fortifications of Vauban in France, Berlin Modernism Housing Estates in Germany, Mantua and Sabbioneta in Italy, San Marino Historic Center and Mount Titano, and the Wooden Churches of the Slovak part of the Carpathian Mountain area as additions to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Which one?
16. The aquatic part of the larger Silk Route, passes through this place. From the 7th to the 13th centuries, this island was controlled by the Srivijaya empire based in Sumatra. The city then changed hands several times before coming under the influence of the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century. After the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese in 1511, it came under the control of the Malay Sultanate of Johore. Which city?
17. The constellation called Mensa is the only one in the universe to be named for a terrestrial feature. Which one?
18. Take a look at the map. Whose journey is it depicting?
19. Watch this video. What very famous painting are they trying to recreate?
20. Guru Gorakhnath visited the palace of Narbhupal Shah, a ruler of a small region. The wandering ascetic offered a bowl of curd to Prithvinarayan, the son of Narbhupal, who threw the bowl to the ground - a portion of the curd spattering to his feet. From this occurrence, the Guru predicted that Prithivinarayan would have the world at his feet and would rule a large kingdom. However, this new kingdom would be ruled only till the 12th generation of the Shah dynasty. The first part of the prophecy did come true and Prithivinarayan established a kingdom. Coincidentally the last part othe prophecy also came true when the 12th generation of the dynasty became the last to rule this kingdom. Who was the last king belonging to the 12th generation ?
21. Identify the person you see in this visual.
22. With respect to the United States, how would you better know: The Federal National Mortgage Association and The Federal Home Mortgage Corporation.
23. Vultures in India are being driven to extinction due to the use of the drug Diclofenac, which is given to cattle and in turn is a poison for vultures. The Bombay Natural History Society’s efforts to conserve vultures are being supported by members of a certain religion, because vultures play an important part in their tradition. Which religion?
24. “Quota-1” means West A Zone, West B Zone, North A Zone, North B Zone, Central Zone, East Zone, South Zone. “Quota-2” means minimum 50% between 18 - 35 years of age. “Quota – 3” means minimum 25% women. This quota system is the basis for selecting people for what TV programme?
25. “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens is about which two cities?
26. Even though it is not an ore producing region, Rewari in Rajasthan has been known for its brasswork and metal craft. Historians attribute the popularity of this profession to the fact that it was started by an emperor from Rewari. Trusting only his kith and kin, he asked them to manufacture the weapons for his army and sowed the seeds for the industry. Who was this Hindu emperor who ascended the throne of Delhi ?
27. The last movie in which this person will be seen is “The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus”. Which is the second last one?
28. Identify the person you see in this stamp.
29. What might this chart help you derive?
30. In Norse mythology Bifrost is the bridge leading from Midgard, the realm of mortals, to Asgard, the realm of the gods, which the gods travel daily to hold their councils and pass judgments at Urdarbrunn. The bridge is guarded by Heimdall and is destroyed at the end of the world, Ragnarok. How do we know the bridge commonly?
31. Take a look at the video. Identify the Nobel laureate in the video.
32. Baobab is a rare medicinal tree and is the national tree of Madagascar and is known colloquially in Africa as the “upside-down tree”. The diameter of the tree varies between 5 and 7 metres. Once it dries up, the hollow part of the tree is used as a natural hut by some African tribes. In India, there are only 9 such trees. 5 of them are found in Ranchi's Doranda area and people believe the tree has spiritual powers. How do we know it in India as?
33. Literally meaning two rivers, this term is used in India and Pakistan for a tract of land lying between two confluent rivers. It designates the flat alluvial tract between the Ganges and Yamuna rivers in western and south-western Uttar Pradesh, extending from the Shivalik range to the two rivers' confluence at Allahabad. What region?
34. The visual shows two official residences of this person. Which is the third one?
35. GOLKONDA which produced many diamonds had a mnemonic to remember it. The diamonds mined which made up the mnemonic were:

• G - Great Table
• OL - Orloff
• KO - Kohinoor
• N - ?
• DA - Darya-i-Noor. What does N stand for?

Report on the Greenko - Hyderabad Open Quiz

Quizmaster – Diwakar Pingle

Content Team – Diwakar Pingle, Ravi Mundoli, Nitish Khadiya, Priyambad

Format: Prelims consisting of 35 questions (1 mark each) with 10 tie-breaker questions. Finals: 5 rounds on round robin basis with a special environment round and a Wipe the Grid round. To even the scoring chances one of the normal rounds was based on a patented algorithm :).

Thumbs Up:
• Huge audience – 300 teams registered and 178 teams participated
• About 800-900 people in the auditorium
• Representation from many major cities like Bombay, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi and major quiz clubs like QFI, KQA and BQC
• The questions covered a lot of varied topics – so we think
• Balanced set of questions – so we think
• Finished the quiz bang on time – The last question being asked at 7:30 p.m
• Your feedback is essential and please do comment on this post

Thumbs Down:
• The school kids were disappointed by a high-standard finals (We promise to do a school quiz next year for the kids)
• Some teams cribbing about seating arrangements – The teams had the option of picking their spots in the finals (Should put an end to all cribs)
• The power failure – We couldn’t help it what with the acute power shortage in Andhra Pradesh. (But then Andhera Kaayam Rahe)
• Your feedback is essential and please do comment on this post

Memorable questions: You tell us. (Other than the Blade Runner and the Wittgenstein questions which we know were sensational, weren’t they :))

1st: We Are Like This Wonly (WALTO) – Anustup Dutta, Ochintya Sharma and Apu from Bangalore
2nd: Ping(Le) Is King – Arul Mani, Vinod Ganesh, Jayakantan from Banglore/Chennai
3rd: Travelling Pillsburys – Rajiv Rai, Vibhendu, Sumant Srivatsan from Bombay.


With a tremendous performance ‘WALTO’ romped home winners with ‘Ping is King’ being a distant second. A great debut by ‘Rangeele from Rangoon’ who we hope will definitely improve by the time we are back for the next round. The Quizzing Royalty of India dished up a fantastic show and whetted the appetite of Hyderabadis hungry for quality Open quizzes. A majority of questions were cracked while a few passed all the teams only to be cracked by the intelligent Junta of Hyderabad. All the Prelims Questions from this quiz will be posted soon.

Thanking all the sponsors of this huge Open – GREENKO, TMC, Novotel Accor Group, Odyssey Books and Leisure Stores, Sun Direct for their support to make the event a big success; All the participants for turning up and putting up a great show; and above all the intelligent junta of Hyderabad for their enthusiasm.

Not to forget Odyssey Leisure Stores, Junior Chambers, Innobox and K – Circle for the year round support for our monthly meetings.

See you next year.
Happy Quizzing till then…