Wednesday Trivia #12: Feb 8, 2012

charvaka wrote:1. Marcus Agrippa, son-in-law of Augustus and father-in-law of Tiberius, commissioned this place of worship as a temple to all gods. It was rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian in 126 CE. Almost two thousand years later, it still has the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome, with an oculus at the summit that acts as a skylight. Today is a Catholic church dedicated to St. Mary and the Martyrs. Thomas Jefferson was inspired by this building when he designed the central feature of the University of Virginia. Name the building in the picture below.


Temple of Venus & Roma?

2. These islands originally home to Native Americans were ruled by a succession of colonial rulers. The Danish bought one of the islands from the French, and they in turn sold all three islands at a price of $25 million. Name this territory where vehicles are driven on the left side of the road.

US Virgin Islands?

3. His biggest achievement was the only overthrow of monarchy in English history and its replacement with a republic. He died of malaria, but when monarchy was restored, the royalists dug up his body from Westminster Abbey, hung it in chains and beheaded it. While sitting for a portrait, he coined the phrase “warts and all.” Victor Hugo wrote an eponymous play about him. Name this controversial figure from English history.

>>>>>Oliver Cromwell.

4. This English word is derived from a Japanese word meaning “great lord” that was used as a title for the Shogun. The word was brought to America by Commodore Perry in 1857, and was promptly applied to Abraham Lincoln. Today it is used in a similar manner as the word mogul, which has similar origins. What is the word?

Tycoon?

5. This famous Sanskrit writer has two books to his credit: a text on grammar, and a book of three hundred poems on the topics of love, equanimity and good conduct. His poems have attained great popularity in their vernacular translations. Legend has it that the writer was a great king with his capital at Ujjayini, who gave up his kingdom and turned an ascetic. Name the writer of the poem (which is rendered slightly incorrectly) in this video.


Bhathruhari? Legend says he is Vikramadithya's half brother.

6. This launch vehicle is the workhorse of the European Space Agency. One of India’s earliest forays into space was named APPLE, an acronym that includes the name of this launch vehicle. Launched from a location close to the equator, it is the most successful launch system for geosynchronous payloads. Name this launch vehicle, and the country it is launched from. Bonus points for expanding the acronym APPLE.

7. Founded by Dutch-speaking Boers in the 19th century, this city named for two Boer leaders is home to one of the largest populations of Indian South Africans. The city played an accidental but major role in the history of India. The original Zulu name of the place was Umgungundlovu, meaning “Place of the Elephant.” What is the Afrikaans name of the city, and what is its significance in Indian history?

I dont know the place, this must be the place where Gandhi was thrown out of the first class compartment.

8. The town of Kill Devil Hills in Dare County of North Carolina got its name from the numerous shipwrecks that used to occur in that area because of winds that pushed ships into the hills. Many of the ships carried rum, which the English at that time called “Kill Devil.” A few days before Christmas in 1903, Kill Devil Hills witnessed history being made. But a larger, neighboring town got credited as the site of that historic event in most history books. What was the historic event?

First flight of Wright Brothers.

9. When Switzerland lost a war in the 16th century after initially conquering Milan, the country declared neutrality. Swiss warriors then turned to mercenary activity abroad. Swiss Guards became highly reliable and loyal protectors of various royal and noble families around Europe, including France, Prussia, Tuscany, Naples and Spain. The Swiss constitution banned this practice in 1927, but one Swiss Guard continues to operate. Who does this Swiss Guard protect?

British Monarchy? Another guess would be Swiss banks.

10. The Luni river originates in Pushkar lake, and derives its original Sanskrit name is supposed to mean “salt river” because of the high salinity of its water. It is unique in one respect among major Indian rivers. (Let’s say major rivers are those that irrigate at least many thousands of acres of land). What is the unique attribute of this river?

PseudoIntellectual wrote:ONly river that flows to west from the himalayas that doesnt flow through Pakistan?

indophile wrote:

PseudoIntellectual wrote:ONly river that flows to west from the himalayas that doesnt flow through Pakistan?

Don't they talk about Lini as the southern surviving part of the old vedic Saraswati river, with Ghaggar in Haryana being the northern surviving part of Saraswati? They did determine that the ground water in the Rajasthan desert between where Ghaggar ends and Luni starts as of Himalayan origin. Some guy named Kalyanaraman did some interesting research on the vedic Saraswati in this area.

charvaka wrote:1. Marcus Agrippa, son-in-law of Augustus and father-in-law of Tiberius, commissioned this place of worship as a temple to all gods. It was rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian in 126 CE. Almost two thousand years later, it still has the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome, with an oculus at the summit that acts as a skylight. Today is a Catholic church dedicated to St. Mary and the Martyrs. Thomas Jefferson was inspired by this building when he designed the central feature of the University of Virginia. Name the building in the picture below.

6. This launch vehicle is the workhorse of the European Space Agency. One of India’s earliest forays into space was named APPLE, an acronym that includes the name of this launch vehicle. Launched from a location close to the equator, it is the most successful launch system for geosynchronous payloads. Name this launch vehicle, and the country it is launched from. Bonus points for expanding the acronym APPLE.

7. Founded by Dutch-speaking Boers in the 19th century, this city named for two Boer leaders is home to one of the largest populations of Indian South Africans. The city played an accidental but major role in the history of India. The original Zulu name of the place was Umgungundlovu, meaning “Place of the Elephant.” What is the Afrikaans name of the city, and what is its significance in Indian history?

8. The town of Kill Devil Hills in Dare County of North Carolina got its name from the numerous shipwrecks that used to occur in that area because of winds that pushed ships into the hills. Many of the ships carried rum, which the English at that time called “Kill Devil.” A few days before Christmas in 1903, Kill Devil Hills witnessed history being made. But a larger, neighboring town got credited as the site of that historic event in most history books. What was the historic event?

charvaka wrote:1. Marcus Agrippa, son-in-law of Augustus and father-in-law of Tiberius, commissioned this place of worship as a temple to all gods. It was rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian in 126 CE. Almost two thousand years later, it still has the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome, with an oculus at the summit that acts as a skylight. Today is a Catholic church dedicated to St. Mary and the Martyrs. Thomas Jefferson was inspired by this building when he designed the central feature of the University of Virginia. Name the building in the picture below.


>>> Pantheon


2. These islands originally home to Native Americans were ruled by a succession of colonial rulers. The Danish bought one of the islands from the French, and they in turn sold all three islands at a price of $25 million. Name this territory where vehicles are driven on the left side of the road.

>>>Americam virgin islands?

3. His biggest achievement was the only overthrow of monarchy in English history and its replacement with a republic. He died of malaria, but when monarchy was restored, the royalists dug up his body from Westminster Abbey, hung it in chains and beheaded it. While sitting for a portrait, he coined the phrase “warts and all.” Victor Hugo wrote an eponymous play about him. Name this controversial figure from English history.

>>>>Cromwell

4. This English word is derived from a Japanese word meaning “great lord” that was used as a title for the Shogun. The word was brought to America by Commodore Perry in 1857, and was promptly applied to Abraham Lincoln. Today it is used in a similar manner as the word mogul, which has similar origins. What is the word?

>>>>Honcho?

5. This famous Sanskrit writer has two books to his credit: a text on grammar, and a book of three hundred poems on the topics of love, equanimity and good conduct. His poems have attained great popularity in their vernacular translations. Legend has it that the writer was a great king with his capital at Ujjayini, who gave up his kingdom and turned an ascetic. Name the writer of the poem (which is rendered slightly incorrectly) in this video.


>>>Panini

6. This launch vehicle is the workhorse of the European Space Agency. One of India’s earliest forays into space was named APPLE, an acronym that includes the name of this launch vehicle. Launched from a location close to the equator, it is the most successful launch system for geosynchronous payloads. Name this launch vehicle, and the country it is launched from. Bonus points for expanding the acronym APPLE.

>>>Something stat?, Surinam

7. Founded by Dutch-speaking Boers in the 19th century, this city named for two Boer leaders is home to one of the largest populations of Indian South Africans. The city played an accidental but major role in the history of India. The original Zulu name of the place was Umgungundlovu, meaning “Place of the Elephant.” What is the Afrikaans name of the city, and what is its significance in Indian history?

>>>>Durban, Gandhi being influenced by the zulu revolt


9. When Switzerland lost a war in the 16th century after initially conquering Milan, the country declared neutrality. Swiss warriors then turned to mercenary activity abroad. Swiss Guards became highly reliable and loyal protectors of various royal and noble families around Europe, including France, Prussia, Tuscany, Naples and Spain. The Swiss constitution banned this practice in 1927, but one Swiss Guard continues to operate. Who does this Swiss Guard protect?

>>>The Pope

doofus_maximus wrote:7. Durban?

doofus_maximus wrote:9. The Pope.

indophile wrote:#5. I think it's Bhartrihari. If it is him, he wrote - Neeti shatakam, Shrigara shatakam, and Vairagya shatakam. So while "Love (shringara)" and "Good conduct (neeti)" seem okay, I would call "Vairagya" as "detachment," but not "equanimity."

indophile wrote:# 3. Oliver Cromwell?

indophile wrote:#4. Big Guy?

indophile wrote:#6. Arianne from French Guyana?

Hellsangel wrote:#2US-VI

#4 TYCOON

#8 The Wright Brothers happened

PseudoIntellectual wrote:1. Temple of Venus & Roma?

PseudoIntellectual wrote:2. US Virgin Islands?

PseudoIntellectual wrote:3. Oliver Cromwell.

PseudoIntellectual wrote:4. Tycoon?

PseudoIntellectual wrote:5. Bhathruhari? Legend says he is Vikramadithya's half brother.

PseudoIntellectual wrote:7. I dont know the place, this must be the place where Gandhi was thrown out of the first class compartment.

PseudoIntellectual wrote:8. First flight of Wright Brothers.

PseudoIntellectual wrote:9. British Monarchy? Another guess would be Swiss banks.

PseudoIntellectual wrote:10. ONly river that flows to west from the himalayas that doesnt flow through Pakistan?

indophile wrote:

PseudoIntellectual wrote:ONly river that flows to west from the himalayas that doesnt flow through Pakistan?

Don't they talk about Lini as the southern surviving part of the old vedic Saraswati river, with Ghaggar in Haryana being the northern surviving part of Saraswati? They did determine that the ground water in the Rajasthan desert between where Ghaggar ends and Luni starts as of Himalayan origin. Some guy named Kalyanaraman did some interesting research on the vedic Saraswati in this area.

blabberwock wrote:1. Pantheon

blabberwock wrote:6. APPLE is ______ Passenger Payload Experiment - don't know the name of the launch vehicle.

blabberwock wrote:7. Pietersmaritzburg - Gandhiji's expulsion from the first class carriage

blabberwock wrote:8. Kitty Hawk - Wright brothers.

Kris wrote:1. Pantheon

Kris wrote:2. Americam virgin islands?

Kris wrote:3. Cromwell

Kris wrote:4. Honcho?

Kris wrote:5. Panini

Kris wrote:6. Something stat?, Surinam

Kris wrote:7. Durban, Gandhi being influenced by the zulu revolt

Kris wrote:9. The Pope

charvaka wrote:Only one question remains.

10. The Luni river originates in Pushkar lake, and derives its original Sanskrit name is supposed to mean “salt river” because of the high salinity of its water. It is unique in one respect among major Indian rivers. (Let’s say major rivers are those that irrigate at least many thousands of acres of land). What is the unique attribute of this river?

Hint: The river was a tributary of the ancient Sarasvati river which was extolled in the vedas. The river today flows through Rajasthan. The former ruler of Jodhpur dammed the river and built a reservoir that irrigates over 12,000 acres. All other major rivers of India accomplish a rather mundane, river-like feat that this river fails to accomplish. What is that? This has nothing to do with international boundaries.

blabberwock wrote:

charvaka wrote:Only one question remains.

10. The Luni river originates in Pushkar lake, and derives its original Sanskrit name is supposed to mean “salt river” because of the high salinity of its water. It is unique in one respect among major Indian rivers. (Let’s say major rivers are those that irrigate at least many thousands of acres of land). What is the unique attribute of this river?

Hint: The river was a tributary of the ancient Sarasvati river which was extolled in the vedas. The river today flows through Rajasthan. The former ruler of Jodhpur dammed the river and built a reservoir that irrigates over 12,000 acres. All other major rivers of India accomplish a rather mundane, river-like feat that this river fails to accomplish. What is that? This has nothing to do with international boundaries.

Doesn't reach the sea?

PseudoIntellectual wrote:

I wanted to learn this subhashitham, my youtubing took me this video. This girl is amazing!