Wednesday Trivia: Dec 28, 2011

by charvaka Wed Dec 28, 2011 11:20 pm

Blabberwock is taking time off from the forum, so I am posting this week's trivia questions. The usual rule applies: no internet searches please. Let me know if you would like a hint for any question.

1. The most prestigious award in the field of computing is named for him. A gay man, he was convicted of criminally indecent conduct; given a choice between prison and chemical castration, he accepted the latter. He was instrumental in the project to break Nazi codes during World War II. Name this mathematician and cryptologist who is considered the father of computer science.

2. All US states have their own flags. Only one of the 50 states has a flag in which the national flag of the United Kingdom – the Union Jack – occupies prime space as shown here. Which state? Bonus question: why does the state have the Union Jack in its flag, although the US fought against Britain for its independence?
Wednesday Trivia: Dec 28, 2011 Flag_110

3. The flags of all states except one look the same on both sides. Name the state whose flag looks different on each side. Here is a picture of the reverse side of that flag.
Wednesday Trivia: Dec 28, 2011 Flag_210

4. This Latin word was originally used to describe the three classical liberal arts: grammar, rhetoric and logic. These three arts were considered part of basic education, the foundation for higher learning. The Latin word was also used to describe a specific kind of road intersection. Starting in the 1960s, the term has been used to mean something altogether different from the liberal arts and road intersections. What is the word?

5. Across most of the United States, mailing addresses are finished off with the name of the city, state and a zip code. Name the largest exception to this rule within the contiguous United States.

6. In the Partition of 1947, the fate of Gurdaspur district truly hung in the balance. On August 15, its people did not know whether their land was awarded by Radcliffe to India or Pakistan. A few days later it emerged that the district itself would be bifurcated, with the western section going to Pakistan and the eastern section remaining with India. All other districts of Punjab and Bengal went in toto to either India or Pakistan during Partition, making Gurdaspur a special case. This special case, however, ended up playing a huge role in the history of modern India. How?

7. When you say Treaty of Versailles, people now understand it as a reference to the 1919 treaty that ended World War I and imposed harsh reparations on Germany. Before that war, though, the term Treaty of Versailles referred to another set of agreements that ended a previous war. Which war?

8. In his native Xhosa language, his given name literally means “to pull a branch of a tree” or more colloquially, “troublemaker.” He was the first member of his family to attend school. He went on to become a lawyer, and was an amateur boxer in his youth. He was known throughout his life as a fitness fanatic, with a regimen that included waking up at 4:30 am every day wherever he went, and making his own bed even when he stayed at high-end hotels and was a guest of heads of state. Throughout his life he fought against the only political system that the United Nations deemed “a crime against humanity,” and he eventually won. Name this person.

9. The true locals of this island were the Weckquaesgeeks. But their neighbors, the Canarsees sold that land without consulting them, and they got paid 60 guilders, an amount now estimated to be valued at $1,000. The Europeans who bought the land established a colony that they promptly lost to their own neighbors from back home within half a century. The island now bears the name given to it by its original inhabitants, and it means: “island of many hills.” Name this island.

10. Remember the question about the Sanskrit origin of the Japanese word zen? (The answer was dhyana.) As I mentioned in that question, the Japanese language liberally borrows words from foreign languages. The Japanese word setsuna means moment, and is derived from Sanskrit. What is the Sanskrit word?

by Mosquito Thu Dec 29, 2011 12:29 am

charvaka wrote:Blabberwock is taking time off from the forum, so I am posting this week's trivia questions. The usual rule applies: no internet searches please. Let me know if you would like a hint for any question.

1. The most prestigious award in the field of computing is named for him. A gay man, he was convicted of criminally indecent conduct; given a choice between prison and chemical castration, he accepted the latter. He was instrumental in the project to break Nazi codes during World War II. Name this mathematician and cryptologist who is considered the father of computer science.

Alan Turing

2. All US states have their own flags. Only one of the 50 states has a flag in which the national flag of the United Kingdom – the Union Jack – occupies prime space as shown here. Which state? Bonus question: why does the state have the Union Jack in its flag, although the US fought against Britain for its independence?

I know it is a hawiian flag. Is it because they were not a part of US for a while and certainly not during the war of independence.

3. The flags of all states except one look the same on both sides. Name the state whose flag looks different on each side. Here is a picture of the reverse side of that flag.

OR. where else can a beaver be?

4. This Latin word was originally used to describe the three classical liberal arts: grammar, rhetoric and logic. These three arts were considered part of basic education, the foundation for higher learning. The Latin word was also used to describe a specific kind of road intersection. Starting in the 1960s, the term has been used to mean something altogether different from the liberal arts and road intersections. What is the word?

5. Across most of the United States, mailing addresses are finished off with the name of the city, state and a zip code. Name the largest exception to this rule within the contiguous United States.

DC?

6. In the Partition of 1947, the fate of Gurdaspur district truly hung in the balance. On August 15, its people did not know whether their land was awarded by Radcliffe to India or Pakistan. A few days later it emerged that the district itself would be bifurcated, with the western section going to Pakistan and the eastern section remaining with India. All other districts of Punjab and Bengal went in toto to either India or Pakistan during Partition, making Gurdaspur a special case. This special case, however, ended up playing a huge role in the history of modern India. How?

Hindu muslim unity or is it the starting point of riots.

7. When you say Treaty of Versailles, people now understand it as a reference to the 1919 treaty that ended World War I and imposed harsh reparations on Germany. Before that war, though, the term Treaty of Versailles referred to another set of agreements that ended a previous war. Which war?

>>>>>>100 year war?

8. In his native Xhosa language, his given name literally means “to pull a branch of a tree” or more colloquially, “troublemaker.” He was the first member of his family to attend school. He went on to become a lawyer, and was an amateur boxer in his youth. He was known throughout his life as a fitness fanatic, with a regimen that included waking up at 4:30 am every day wherever he went, and making his own bed even when he stayed at high-end hotels and was a guest of heads of state. Throughout his life he fought against the only political system that the United Nations deemed “a crime against humanity,” and he eventually won. Name this person.

Mandela.

9. The true locals of this island were the Weckquaesgeeks. But their neighbors, the Canarsees sold that land without consulting them, and they got paid 60 guilders, an amount now estimated to be valued at $1,000. The Europeans who bought the land established a colony that they promptly lost to their own neighbors from back home within half a century. The island now bears the name given to it by its original inhabitants, and it means: “island of many hills.” Name this island.

Samoa?

10. Remember the question about the Sanskrit origin of the Japanese word zen? (The answer was dhyana.) As I mentioned in that question, the Japanese language liberally borrows words from foreign languages. The Japanese word setsuna means moment, and is derived from Sanskrit. What is the Sanskrit word?

by Guest Thu Dec 29, 2011 2:19 am

charvaka wrote:
1. The most prestigious award in the field of computing is named for him. A gay man, he was convicted of criminally indecent conduct; given a choice between prison and chemical castration, he accepted the latter. He was instrumental in the project to break Nazi codes during World War II. Name this mathematician and cryptologist who is considered the father of computer science.

alan turing.

by Guest Thu Dec 29, 2011 2:37 am

charvaka wrote:4. This Latin word was originally used to describe the three classical liberal arts: grammar, rhetoric and logic. These three arts were considered part of basic education, the foundation for higher learning. The Latin word was also used to describe a specific kind of road intersection. Starting in the 1960s, the term has been used to mean something altogether different from the liberal arts and road intersections. What is the word?

trivium.

by Guest Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:53 am

charvaka wrote:10. Remember the question about the Sanskrit origin of the Japanese word zen? (The answer was dhyana.) As I mentioned in that question, the Japanese language liberally borrows words from foreign languages. The Japanese word setsuna means moment, and is derived from Sanskrit. What is the Sanskrit word?

samay(a)?

chaN(a)?

by Kris Thu Dec 29, 2011 5:24 am

charvaka wrote:Blabberwock is taking time off from the forum, so I am posting this week's trivia questions. The usual rule applies: no internet searches please. Let me know if you would like a hint for any question.

1. The most prestigious award in the field of computing is named for him. A gay man, he was convicted of criminally indecent conduct; given a choice between prison and chemical castration, he accepted the latter. He was instrumental in the project to break Nazi codes during World War II. Name this mathematician and cryptologist who is considered the father of computer science.

>>>Turing

2. All US states have their own flags. Only one of the 50 states has a flag in which the national flag of the United Kingdom – the Union Jack – occupies prime space as shown here. Which state? Bonus question: why does the state have the Union Jack in its flag, although the US fought against Britain for its independence?

3. The flags of all states except one look the same on both sides. Name the state whose flag looks different on each side. Here is a picture of the reverse side of that flag.

>>>>Alaska?

4. This Latin word was originally used to describe the three classical liberal arts: grammar, rhetoric and logic. These three arts were considered part of basic education, the foundation for higher learning. The Latin word was also used to describe a specific kind of road intersection. Starting in the 1960s, the term has been used to mean something altogether different from the liberal arts and road intersections. What is the word?

>>>>Tripos

7. When you say Treaty of Versailles, people now understand it as a reference to the 1919 treaty that ended World War I and imposed harsh reparations on Germany. Before that war, though, the term Treaty of Versailles referred to another set of agreements that ended a previous war. Which war?

>>>War of the roses?

8. In his native Xhosa language, his given name literally means “to pull a branch of a tree” or more colloquially, “troublemaker.” He was the first member of his family to attend school. He went on to become a lawyer, and was an amateur boxer in his youth. He was known throughout his life as a fitness fanatic, with a regimen that included waking up at 4:30 am every day wherever he went, and making his own bed even when he stayed at high-end hotels and was a guest of heads of state. Throughout his life he fought against the only political system that the United Nations deemed “a crime against humanity,” and he eventually won. Name this person.

>>>mandela

9. The true locals of this island were the Weckquaesgeeks. But their neighbors, the Canarsees sold that land without consulting them, and they got paid 60 guilders, an amount now estimated to be valued at $1,000. The Europeans who bought the land established a colony that they promptly lost to their own neighbors from back home within half a century. The island now bears the name given to it by its original inhabitants, and it means: “island of many hills.” Name this island.

>>manhattan?

10. Remember the question about the Sanskrit origin of the Japanese word zen? (The answer was dhyana.) As I mentioned in that question, the Japanese language liberally borrows words from foreign languages. The Japanese word setsuna means moment, and is derived from Sanskrit. What is the Sanskrit word?

>>>kshanam?

by Jeremiah Mburuburu Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:18 am

charvaka wrote:Blabberwock is taking time off from the forum,...

i suppose she wants to spend more time with her family. we look forward to her return to this subcaste forum that you set up for her and s'lime.

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 12:28 pm

PseudoIntellectual wrote:
1. The most prestigious award in the field of computing is named for him. A gay man, he was convicted of criminally indecent conduct; given a choice between prison and chemical castration, he accepted the latter. He was instrumental in the project to break Nazi codes during World War II. Name this mathematician and cryptologist who is considered the father of computer science.

Alan Turing

Correct.

PseudoIntellectual wrote:
2. All US states have their own flags. Only one of the 50 states has a flag in which the national flag of the United Kingdom – the Union Jack – occupies prime space as shown here. Which state? Bonus question: why does the state have the Union Jack in its flag, although the US fought against Britain for its independence?

I know it is a hawiian flag. Is it because they were not a part of US for a while and certainly not during the war of independence.

Correct. It is true that Hawaii was not part of the US at the time of the war of independence. The hint here is that this flag was adopted by the Kingdom of Hawaii in the first half of the 19th century. Why did they choose to put the Union Jack on their flag?

PseudoIntellectual wrote:
3. The flags of all states except one look the same on both sides. Name the state whose flag looks different on each side. Here is a picture of the reverse side of that flag.

OR. where else can a beaver be?

Correct.

PseudoIntellectual wrote:
5. Across most of the United States, mailing addresses are finished off with the name of the city, state and a zip code. Name the largest exception to this rule within the contiguous United States.

DC?

DC is one of the areas that violates the rule, but not the largest exception. In the case of DC, the letter DC stand in where the state would be used. In the exception I have in mind, the state is a regular state.

PseudoIntellectual wrote:
6. In the Partition of 1947, the fate of Gurdaspur district truly hung in the balance. On August 15, its people did not know whether their land was awarded by Radcliffe to India or Pakistan. A few days later it emerged that the district itself would be bifurcated, with the western section going to Pakistan and the eastern section remaining with India. All other districts of Punjab and Bengal went in toto to either India or Pakistan during Partition, making Gurdaspur a special case. This special case, however, ended up playing a huge role in the history of modern India. How?

Hindu muslim unity or is it the starting point of riots.

No.

PseudoIntellectual wrote:
7. When you say Treaty of Versailles, people now understand it as a reference to the 1919 treaty that ended World War I and imposed harsh reparations on Germany. Before that war, though, the term Treaty of Versailles referred to another set of agreements that ended a previous war. Which war?

>>>>>>100 year war?

No.

PseudoIntellectual wrote:
8. In his native Xhosa language, his given name literally means “to pull a branch of a tree” or more colloquially, “troublemaker.” He was the first member of his family to attend school. He went on to become a lawyer, and was an amateur boxer in his youth. He was known throughout his life as a fitness fanatic, with a regimen that included waking up at 4:30 am every day wherever he went, and making his own bed even when he stayed at high-end hotels and was a guest of heads of state. Throughout his life he fought against the only political system that the United Nations deemed “a crime against humanity,” and he eventually won. Name this person.

Mandela.

Correct.

PseudoIntellectual wrote:
9. The true locals of this island were the Weckquaesgeeks. But their neighbors, the Canarsees sold that land without consulting them, and they got paid 60 guilders, an amount now estimated to be valued at $1,000. The Europeans who bought the land established a colony that they promptly lost to their own neighbors from back home within half a century. The island now bears the name given to it by its original inhabitants, and it means: “island of many hills.” Name this island.

Samoa?

No.

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 12:29 pm

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:
charvaka wrote:
1. The most prestigious award in the field of computing is named for him. A gay man, he was convicted of criminally indecent conduct; given a choice between prison and chemical castration, he accepted the latter. He was instrumental in the project to break Nazi codes during World War II. Name this mathematician and cryptologist who is considered the father of computer science.

alan turing.

Correct.

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 12:29 pm

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:
charvaka wrote:4. This Latin word was originally used to describe the three classical liberal arts: grammar, rhetoric and logic. These three arts were considered part of basic education, the foundation for higher learning. The Latin word was also used to describe a specific kind of road intersection. Starting in the 1960s, the term has been used to mean something altogether different from the liberal arts and road intersections. What is the word?

trivium.

Correct.

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 12:30 pm

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:
charvaka wrote:10. Remember the question about the Sanskrit origin of the Japanese word zen? (The answer was dhyana.) As I mentioned in that question, the Japanese language liberally borrows words from foreign languages. The Japanese word setsuna means moment, and is derived from Sanskrit. What is the Sanskrit word?

samay(a)?

chaN(a)?

chana may be Prakrit for the word I am looking for.

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 12:32 pm

Kris wrote:
1. The most prestigious award in the field of computing is named for him. A gay man, he was convicted of criminally indecent conduct; given a choice between prison and chemical castration, he accepted the latter. He was instrumental in the project to break Nazi codes during World War II. Name this mathematician and cryptologist who is considered the father of computer science.

>>>Turing

Correct.

Kris wrote:
3. The flags of all states except one look the same on both sides. Name the state whose flag looks different on each side. Here is a picture of the reverse side of that flag.

>>>>Alaska?

No, the answer is Oregon. (PI got it.)

Kris wrote:4. This Latin word was originally used to describe the three classical liberal arts: grammar, rhetoric and logic. These three arts were considered part of basic education, the foundation for higher learning. The Latin word was also used to describe a specific kind of road intersection. Starting in the 1960s, the term has been used to mean something altogether different from the liberal arts and road intersections. What is the word?

>>>>Tripos

No, the answer is trivia / trivium. Huzefa got it.

Kris wrote:7. When you say Treaty of Versailles, people now understand it as a reference to the 1919 treaty that ended World War I and imposed harsh reparations on Germany. Before that war, though, the term Treaty of Versailles referred to another set of agreements that ended a previous war. Which war?

>>>War of the roses?

Good guess, but no.

Kris wrote:8. In his native Xhosa language, his given name literally means “to pull a branch of a tree” or more colloquially, “troublemaker.” He was the first member of his family to attend school. He went on to become a lawyer, and was an amateur boxer in his youth. He was known throughout his life as a fitness fanatic, with a regimen that included waking up at 4:30 am every day wherever he went, and making his own bed even when he stayed at high-end hotels and was a guest of heads of state. Throughout his life he fought against the only political system that the United Nations deemed “a crime against humanity,” and he eventually won. Name this person.

>>>mandela

Correct.

Kris wrote:9. The true locals of this island were the Weckquaesgeeks. But their neighbors, the Canarsees sold that land without consulting them, and they got paid 60 guilders, an amount now estimated to be valued at $1,000. The Europeans who bought the land established a colony that they promptly lost to their own neighbors from back home within half a century. The island now bears the name given to it by its original inhabitants, and it means: “island of many hills.” Name this island.

>>manhattan?

Correct.

Kris wrote:10. Remember the question about the Sanskrit origin of the Japanese word zen? (The answer was dhyana.) As I mentioned in that question, the Japanese language liberally borrows words from foreign languages. The Japanese word setsuna means moment, and is derived from Sanskrit. What is the Sanskrit word?

>>>kshanam?

Correct.

by Guest Thu Dec 29, 2011 12:43 pm

great trivia set charvaka (partly 'cos i got 2 right). thanks. kris is right. the funny sounding ch in kshana out to be written as kshana in roman -- quite like as in kshatriya i think.

by Guest Thu Dec 29, 2011 12:46 pm

but why is there a tendency to close sanskrit sounds with "m" in the south? or why is it missing in the prakrit belt? is it script related?

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 12:46 pm

The following questions remain. I have provided hints for those.

2. All US states have their own flags. Only one of the 50 states has a flag in which the national flag of the United Kingdom – the Union Jack – occupies prime space as shown here. Which state? Bonus question: why does the state have the Union Jack in its flag, although the US fought against Britain for its independence?
Wednesday Trivia: Dec 28, 2011 Flag_110

Hint: This is the state flag of Hawaii. It was designed around 1816. Guess why it features a Union Jack.

5. Across most of the United States, mailing addresses are finished off with the name of the city, state and a zip code. Name the largest exception to this rule within the contiguous United States.

Hint: The exception I have in mind has to do with not writing the name of the city in the mailing address. Where does that happen?

6. In the Partition of 1947, the fate of Gurdaspur district truly hung in the balance. On August 15, its people did not know whether their land was awarded by Radcliffe to India or Pakistan. A few days later it emerged that the district itself would be bifurcated, with the western section going to Pakistan and the eastern section remaining with India. All other districts of Punjab and Bengal went in toto to either India or Pakistan during Partition, making Gurdaspur a special case. This special case, however, ended up playing a huge role in the history of modern India. How?

Hint: If Gurdaspur were not awarded to India, India's map would look very different.

7. When you say Treaty of Versailles, people now understand it as a reference to the 1919 treaty that ended World War I and imposed harsh reparations on Germany. Before that war, though, the term Treaty of Versailles referred to another set of agreements that ended a previous war. Which war?

Hint: That war ended with the signing of two sets of agreement. One that involved a non-monarchic democratic power was signed in the city of Paris; the rest that involved monarchies was signed at the royal palace of Versailles outside the city.

by Guest Thu Dec 29, 2011 12:54 pm

charvaka wrote:6. In the Partition of 1947, the fate of Gurdaspur district truly hung in the balance. On August 15, its people did not know whether their land was awarded by Radcliffe to India or Pakistan. A few days later it emerged that the district itself would be bifurcated, with the western section going to Pakistan and the eastern section remaining with India. All other districts of Punjab and Bengal went in toto to either India or Pakistan during Partition, making Gurdaspur a special case. This special case, however, ended up playing a huge role in the history of modern India. How?

Hint: If Gurdaspur were not awarded to India, India's map would look very different.

i know gurudaspur is close to pathankot, which is in jammu. if gurudaspur had not been given to us, would the indian map become a chicken neck (like in darjeeling) there?

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 12:55 pm

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:
charvaka wrote:6. In the Partition of 1947, the fate of Gurdaspur district truly hung in the balance. On August 15, its people did not know whether their land was awarded by Radcliffe to India or Pakistan. A few days later it emerged that the district itself would be bifurcated, with the western section going to Pakistan and the eastern section remaining with India. All other districts of Punjab and Bengal went in toto to either India or Pakistan during Partition, making Gurdaspur a special case. This special case, however, ended up playing a huge role in the history of modern India. How?

Hint: If Gurdaspur were not awarded to India, India's map would look very different.

i know gurudaspur is close to patankhot, which is in jammu. if gurudaspur had not been given to us, would the indian map become a chicken neck (like in darjeeling) there?

No, a bigger impact than that. Will provide another hint in a few hours.

by Guest Thu Dec 29, 2011 1:00 pm

uff. hata sawan ki ghata. i googled and failed. what could be worse. Sad

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 1:08 pm

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:uff. hata sawan ki ghata. i googled and failed. what could be worse.

Yeah, I am trying to come up with questions that can't be googled Smile

. The downside is that you'll have to take my word for the answer at the end.

by Guest Thu Dec 29, 2011 1:12 pm

LOL but i think i've intuited the answer. j&k would have been cut off like west and east pakistan. if it's right, it's scary and i want to know more.

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 1:28 pm

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:LOL but i think i've intuited the answer. j&k would have been cut off like west and east pakistan. if it's right, it's scary and i want to know more.

This is correct. Remember that J&K acceded to the Indian Union in October 1947, when the reluctant Maharaja signed the Instrument of Accession to get Indian troops to stop and push back the Pathan invaders. By late August that year, the only road that went from the Indian Union to Jammu and then Srinagar went through Gurdaspur. If India did not get Gurdaspur in August, come October, India would not have had a good all-year road to send troops to J&K. So when the Pathan mercenaries attacked Kashmir with Pakistan Army's support, India would have been in no position to help. Without that possibility of help, Hari Singh would not have signed an Instrument of Accession. In other words, without Gurdaspur, India would have no claim to Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh would be our northernmost state. (HP has a long border with J&K but the terrain meant that there were no military-grade roads across that border back then. Now there is a summer-only road that goes from Manali to Leh.)

by Kris Thu Dec 29, 2011 1:33 pm

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:but why is there a tendency to close sanskrit sounds with "m" in the south? or why is it missing in the prakrit belt? is it script related?

>>>I thought the 'm' sound in the end was a direct import from sanskrit. The only context in which I have heard this particular word is 'kshana pitham'. I figured the word on a stand-alone basis would be 'kshanam', but my knowledge of sanskrit is very minimal.

by Guest Thu Dec 29, 2011 1:39 pm

wow. so the brits. actually helped india by making the radcliffe line give only one tehsil of this predominantly muslim district to pakistan!

by Mosquito Thu Dec 29, 2011 1:45 pm

9. Haiti?

by Kris Thu Dec 29, 2011 1:47 pm

2. All US states have their own flags. Only one of the 50 states has a flag in which the national flag of the United Kingdom – the Union Jack – occupies prime space as shown here. Which state? Bonus question: why does the state have the Union Jack in its flag, although the US fought against Britain for its independence?
Wednesday Trivia: Dec 28, 2011 Flag_110

Hint: This is the state flag of Hawaii. It was designed around 1816. Guess why it features a Union Jack.

>>>> I know the hawaiian royal family had contact with the britain and think there was even a visit by the king to england, but don't know when this was. Just a guess.

5. Across most of the United States, mailing addresses are finished off with the name of the city, state and a zip code. Name the largest exception to this rule within the contiguous United States.

>> New York city, but we still write new york, new york and then the zip code.

Hint: The exception I have in mind has to do with not writing the name of the city in the mailing address. Where does that happen?

7. When you say Treaty of Versailles, people now understand it as a reference to the 1919 treaty that ended World War I and imposed harsh reparations on Germany. Before that war, though, the term Treaty of Versailles referred to another set of agreements that ended a previous war. Which war?

Hint: That war ended with the signing of two sets of agreement. One that involved a non-monarchic democratic power was signed in the city of Paris; the rest that involved monarchies was signed at the royal palace of Versailles outside the city.

>>> The french revolution?

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 1:51 pm

PseudoIntellectual wrote:9. Haiti?

No, 9 is the island of Manhattan. Kris got it. BTW, Haiti is not an island by itself... Haiti and the Dominican Republic together occupy the island of Hispaniola.

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 1:53 pm

Huzefa Kapasi wrote:wow. so the brits. actually helped india by making the radcliffe line give only one tehsil of this predominantly muslim district to pakistan!

I don't think Gurdaspur was predominantly Muslim; it had a Muslim majority but not an overwhelming one. But you are right... this is a sore point with Pakistanis when they talk about the Kashmir issue. They see Kashmir's accession to India as a series of highly improbable, conspiratorial moves to acquire a Muslim territory.

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 1:54 pm

Kris wrote:
Huzefa Kapasi wrote:but why is there a tendency to close sanskrit sounds with "m" in the south? or why is it missing in the prakrit belt? is it script related?

>>>I thought the 'm' sound in the end was a direct import from sanskrit. The only context in which I have heard this particular word is 'kshana pitham'. I figured the word on a stand-alone basis would be 'kshanam', but my knowledge of sanskrit is very minimal.

We need Indo to weigh in on this one.

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 1:57 pm

Kris wrote:2. All US states have their own flags. Only one of the 50 states has a flag in which the national flag of the United Kingdom – the Union Jack – occupies prime space as shown here. Which state? Bonus question: why does the state have the Union Jack in its flag, although the US fought against Britain for its independence?

Hint: This is the state flag of Hawaii. It was designed around 1816. Guess why it features a Union Jack.

>>>> I know the hawaiian royal family had contact with the britain and think there was even a visit by the king to england, but don't know when this was. Just a guess.

Correct... British advisers designed the flag. They sold the Hawaiian king on the design with the idea that showing off the Union Jack will make the Americans -- then the rising power on the Pacific -- back off.

Kris wrote:5. Across most of the United States, mailing addresses are finished off with the name of the city, state and a zip code. Name the largest exception to this rule within the contiguous United States.

>> New York city, but we still write new york, new york and then the zip code.

Hint: The exception I have in mind has to do with not writing the name of the city in the mailing address. Where does that happen?

You almost got it. New York is the name of the city, so New York, NY 100xx is the standard address format. However this format is not followed throughout the city. Where is the exception?

Kris wrote:7. When you say Treaty of Versailles, people now understand it as a reference to the 1919 treaty that ended World War I and imposed harsh reparations on Germany. Before that war, though, the term Treaty of Versailles referred to another set of agreements that ended a previous war. Which war?

Hint: That war ended with the signing of two sets of agreement. One that involved a non-monarchic democratic power was signed in the city of Paris; the rest that involved monarchies was signed at the royal palace of Versailles outside the city.

>>> The french revolution?

No, another revolution Smile

.

by Kris Thu Dec 29, 2011 2:12 pm

#5- United Nations?

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 2:19 pm

Kris wrote:#5- United Nations?

No, the United Nations uses the New York, NY addressing scheme. Another hint is that only one of the five units of New York city uses the New York, NY addressing scheme.

by truthbetold Thu Dec 29, 2011 2:41 pm

#5 are you hinting at ny city burroughs? Ex: Harlem, NY ....

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 2:54 pm

truthbetold wrote:#5 are you hinting at ny city burroughs? Ex: Harlem, NY ....

Actually Harlem also uses New York, NY. But boroughs is the correct answer. Basically the borough of Manhattan -- of which Harlem is a part -- uses New York, NY. All other four boroughs -- Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island use a non-standard addressing scheme, with the name of the borough rather than the name of the city. So Brooklyn addresses are finished off with Brooklyn, NY; Queens addresses with Queens, NY. This is for two reasons: one, the same street names occur in multiple boroughs (e.g. there is a Broadway in Brooklyn which is different from the more famous Broadway.) Two, the address scheme dates back to the time when today's New York was not one city. When the city got consolidated in 1898, people continued to use addresses like Brooklyn, NY.

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 2:56 pm

This is the only question that remains.

7. When you say Treaty of Versailles, people now understand it as a reference to the 1919 treaty that ended World War I and imposed harsh reparations on Germany. Before that war, though, the term Treaty of Versailles referred to another set of agreements that ended a previous war. Which war?

Hint 1: That war ended with the signing of two sets of agreement. One that involved a non-monarchic democratic power was signed in the city of Paris; the rest that involved monarchies was signed at the royal palace of Versailles outside the city.

Hint 2: In America, the treaty that ended this war is known as the Treaty of Paris.

by Kris Thu Dec 29, 2011 2:59 pm

charvaka wrote:This is the only question that remains.

7. When you say Treaty of Versailles, people now understand it as a reference to the 1919 treaty that ended World War I and imposed harsh reparations on Germany. Before that war, though, the term Treaty of Versailles referred to another set of agreements that ended a previous war. Which war?

Hint 1: That war ended with the signing of two sets of agreement. One that involved a non-monarchic democratic power was signed in the city of Paris; the rest that involved monarchies was signed at the royal palace of Versailles outside the city.

Hint 2: In America, the treaty that ended this war is known as the Treaty of Paris.

>>>U.S. revolution/War of 1812? I am not sure. I thought the war with britain was never formally concluded.

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:03 pm

Kris wrote:
charvaka wrote:This is the only question that remains.

7. When you say Treaty of Versailles, people now understand it as a reference to the 1919 treaty that ended World War I and imposed harsh reparations on Germany. Before that war, though, the term Treaty of Versailles referred to another set of agreements that ended a previous war. Which war?

Hint 1: That war ended with the signing of two sets of agreement. One that involved a non-monarchic democratic power was signed in the city of Paris; the rest that involved monarchies was signed at the royal palace of Versailles outside the city.

Hint 2: In America, the treaty that ended this war is known as the Treaty of Paris.

>>>U.S. revolution/War of 1812? I am not sure. I thought the war with britain was never formally concluded.

It is the Revolutionary War, the US war of independence. Both the wars you mentioned ended with formal treaties; the Treaty of Ghent ended the War of 1812 returning both sides to the territorial status quo before the war.

All questions have now been answered.

by indophile Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:27 pm

charvaka wrote:
6. In the Partition of 1947, the fate of Gurdaspur district truly hung in the balance. On August 15, its people did not know whether their land was awarded by Radcliffe to India or Pakistan. A few days later it emerged that the district itself would be bifurcated, with the western section going to Pakistan and the eastern section remaining with India. All other districts of Punjab and Bengal went in toto to either India or Pakistan during Partition, making Gurdaspur a special case. This special case, however, ended up playing a huge role in the history of modern India. How?

Hint: If Gurdaspur were not awarded to India, India's map would look very different.

If Gurdaspur went to Pakistan, India would have lost connection to Kashmir by pucca road.

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:29 pm

indophile wrote:
charvaka wrote:
6. In the Partition of 1947, the fate of Gurdaspur district truly hung in the balance. On August 15, its people did not know whether their land was awarded by Radcliffe to India or Pakistan. A few days later it emerged that the district itself would be bifurcated, with the western section going to Pakistan and the eastern section remaining with India. All other districts of Punjab and Bengal went in toto to either India or Pakistan during Partition, making Gurdaspur a special case. This special case, however, ended up playing a huge role in the history of modern India. How?

Hint: If Gurdaspur were not awarded to India, India's map would look very different.

If Gurdaspur went to Pakistan, India would have lost connection to Kashmir by pucca road.

Correct... that's the precise answer I was looking for.

by indophile Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:34 pm

charvaka wrote:
Kris wrote:
Huzefa Kapasi wrote:but why is there a tendency to close sanskrit sounds with "m" in the south? or why is it missing in the prakrit belt? is it script related?

>>>I thought the 'm' sound in the end was a direct import from sanskrit. The only context in which I have heard this particular word is 'kshana pitham'. I figured the word on a stand-alone basis would be 'kshanam', but my knowledge of sanskrit is very minimal.
We need Indo to weigh in on this one.

kshana for moment (there is a Telugu movie of Ram Gopal Varma titled "kshana kshanam" meaning moment-to-moment) seems correct.

by charvaka Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:52 pm

Jeremiah Mburuburu wrote:
charvaka wrote:Blabberwock is taking time off from the forum,...
i suppose she wants to spend more time with her family. we look forward to her return to this subcaste forum that you set up for her and s'lime.

Your answer is incorrect.

by truthbetold Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:33 pm

#5 was a good one. "intellectual" Jeremeiah may not appreciate but daily grinders like us want more of these.

This Jeremiah guy is so racial and jealous that he uses words like caste in uncalled for situations and dumps on this quiz because he cannot answer any questions. One of his children should teach him how to use internet so that he can cheat on this quiz.

by Guest Fri Dec 30, 2011 12:57 am

charvaka wrote:
Jeremiah Mburuburu wrote:
charvaka wrote:Blabberwock is taking time off from the forum,...
i suppose she wants to spend more time with her family. we look forward to her return to this subcaste forum that you set up for her and s'lime.
Your answer is incorrect.

ROFL!!

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