quizzing for eveyone

Are oceans dumping grounds?????

2010-01-04T12:41:00.004+05:30

After I went through my earlier posts i felt the need to elaborate on each and every resource which we have polluted and i don't understand the reason why our political leaders couldn't understand an issue as simple and as grave as this.We drive cars, run factories and pollute Earth in every possible manner. But Earth has such a composition that it made alternatives to curb every possible mischief that we humans do. We pollute and Earth has got its own way of absorbing this pollution and it do this with the help of oceans. 25 percent of CO2 that we emit is being absorbed by oceans. But this is one of issues which should raise an alarm and is to be discussed about. To make a beginning first let me post definition of ocean pollution or marine pollution. As taken from Wikipedia,
"Marine pollution occurs when harmful effects, or potentially harmful effects, can result from the entry into the ocean of chemicals,particles, industrial, agricultural and residential waste, noise, or the spread of invasive organisms."

On giving a closer look i could easily interpret that when we drive car, burn crackers, run factories, dispose chemical wastes, spray pesticides it is the oceans which in the end suffer. so elaborating on each point here are the various causes of ocean pollution:

Easily said it is the emitted carbon dioxide and other gases which pollute ocean water thereby increasing the carbon content.
There are case of ship accidents and oil spills which are major polluters of sea.
Factories dump chemical wastes without treatment into seas and oceans.
Its the household waste, plastics and other sewage lines that directly mix with ocean water.
pesticides that are sprayed on to the crops are finally washed off into the oceans.

So these were some of the common pollutants. But the effect that they have on the sea life and through the food chain on to the land animals and humans is devastating. Lets discuss some bad or adverse effects on the ecosystems caused by ocean pollution:

pollution due to any source cause large amounts of lead and other harmful chemicals and metals to be injected into the sea. it pollutes water and sea plants and when these consumed by sea life pollute them as well. We might have not been affected by disruption of sea life but we need to understand that it is ultimately we human beings that consume large quantities of polluted sea food which is disastrously harmful for human health causing immense range of diseases.
Pesticides that are washed off into the oceans water along with the toxic metals can lead to serious mutational and dna changes thereby making entire food web susceptible to all possible diseases.
Oceans act as carbon sinks but when such huge amount of carbon is fed into oceans its capacity to absorb carbon will definitely decrease and will thus lead to global warming and we very well know the dangers of this as we have so called copenhagen meets to solve this grave issue.
in oceans we have a twilight zone where very few marine life survives because it is at greater depth where pressure is much higher along with low oxygen content ans very less sun light. But toxic metals and increasing carbon content has nearly wiped out this marine life and many species are endangered.
Most of the marine life lives in sunlight zone(where there is ample oxygen and sunlight). But when these are affected the precious marine life living in midnight zone(bottom of sea) where there are no plants and all surviving creatures are predators, their food chain is got to be disturbed and we know marine life has got a major role to play in maintaining balance of nature.
Lastly, the acid rain and increasing carbon content pose grave risk to the precious corals. Increasing acidification of seas and oceans will destroy corals and will seriously affect the ability of sea fish to form sea shells.

SO what we can do to contribute from our side in preventing ocean pollution. Apart from trying to reduce pollution and planting more and more trees we can:

to control the amount of waste water we produce.
recycle plastics, recharge batteries, use minimum water and try to be more accommodating like encourage car pools.
Force governments to set norms for industries to treat their chemical waste before being dumped into the sea or be ready to face huge fine and cancellation of license.
Help in cleaning beaches by forming groups and communities.
Make sure that only rain goes down the stormwater drain without mixing with sewage.
Ensure that any household chemicals and substances such as paint or oil are disposed of properly. Many local authorities have special collection points that can help to avoid these chemicals polluting the water supply.
Look out for environment friendly cleaners and detergents.

It is very important that we understand the need to save ocean life. We ought to learn to live green Because it is said that it is never too late but in this matter of saving earth if we do not show urgency then we surely will have to regret deeply and will be toooo late!!!!!!!!

One step ahead of Copenhagen summit....

2010-01-02T12:04:00.002+05:30

After fretting a lot over global warming,its causes, its effects and ways to counter it, i came across some interesting articles which led into an entire new spectrum of pollution which until now was in my dark side of ignorance. When i said an entire new spectrum i really mean it. The reason being that, This is an untouched territory to many and i felt the need to highlight it. so my today's post will be about one more dimension of pollution caused by industrial revolution and that is LIGHT POLLUTION also called as photopollution or luminous pollution.Besides posing health hazards to nocturnal life, human beings, light pollution also deprives city dwellers the opportunity to view night sky as illuminated by the natural source of light of stars. To give a more precise definition,as taken from wikipedia,
" Any adverse effect of artificial light including sky glow, glare,light trespass,light clutter, decreased visibility at night, and energy waste ."

Some of the problems caused by light pollution:

When we talk about global warming then yes, it is excessive lighting on buildings, hoardings,commercials etc which tend to contribute to this warming by emitting light and heat.
one-fourth of the entire energy consumption around the world is in the form of light and electricity. More we cosume light more are the resources burnt to produce electricity,faster these are depleted and they do cause air pollution thereby making Earth a black planet.
Apart from causing pains to the ecosystem it also causes various health hazards for human beings. It is a proven study that When exposed to over illumination and excessive lighting it causes headache, rise in blood pressure and skin problems.
one of the most interesting results which I came across is the effect of light pollution on the ecosystem. It causes behavioral changes in nocturnal animals and lighting causes changes in prey-predator relationship as over illumination causes confusion among night predators. Not only this,Lights on tall structures can disorient migrating birds.Studies suggest that light pollution around lakes prevents zooplankton, such as Daphnia, from eating surface algae, helping cause algal blooms that can kill off the lakes' plants and lower water quality.
As already mentioned light pollution does poses problems for city dwellers to view night sky and there are added problems for astronomical studies.

SO it might feel that light pollution is not that big issue when compared with other forms of pollution. But on a closer look we come across the fact that none of the pollution type is isolated. one causes the other and the sufferer of each is Ecosystem, Earth and living beings.
Here i suggest few suggestions that we can do to at our own places to reduce light pollution. Definitely, strong lighting on buildings, streets and hoardings have to be reduced but what we can do at our own places is:

Switch off the lights when not needed as it is a waste of energy and we always will have to think about the fast depleting energy sources.
Avoid allowing installation of hoardings in your compounds or on buildings as these are unsafe for building structure and yes of course they do cause light pollution.
Avoid burning carckers.It causes noise pollution. air pollution and light pollution( In my view it is the single most common source of all kinds of pollution).
Improve light fixtures so that light is properly focused wher it is needed and hence lower energy lighting system can be used.
Install outdoor lighting that limits the amount of light that escapes upward.
Avoid installing too much of decorative lights on the buildings or trees.
Get involved in educating your neighbors and city officials about light pollution.

Light pollution till now has been the most neglected form of polution. But if little care is taken with a bit of sacrifice it can be reduced drastically. LIVE GREEN!!!!!!!!!!

Copenhagen continues...

2009-12-31T14:40:00.007+05:30

Continuing from where I left yesterday....Already we are buried under the debris of pollution ranging from air,water and sound which are contributing seriously to the the degradation of atmosphere, earth, water and various life processes thereby making life suvival difficult on Earth.Darwin's theory of 'Survival of the fittest' seems obsolete because when we are bound to breathe smoke and when fishes are bound to survive in turbid water contaminated with chemicals and washed away pesticides, it merely matters how strong one is because exposure to pollutants has increased to such a level that immunity can definitely help one to survive for longer time but sooner or later one has to succumb to this he who must not be named.
We contribute knowingly or unknowingly in degrading the environment.One of the issues that is engulfing communities around the world is that of E-pollution.Electronic waste, popularly known as ‘e-waste’ can be defined as electronic equipments / products connects with power plug, batteries which have become obsolete due to:
advancement in technology changes in fashion, style and status nearing the end of their useful life.

People tend to change heir personal computers after2-3 years of usage instead of upgrading it.Due to the lack of governmental legislations on e-waste, standards for disposal, proper mechanism for handling these toxic hi-tech products, mostly end up in landfills or partly recycled in a unhygienic conditions and partly thrown into waste streams.Not only computers but batteries, switches, motherboards, chips, televisions, other electrnic equipments forms the bulf of e-waste.Of these, the biggest source of PC scrap are foreign countries that export huge computer waste in the form of reusable components. This toxic e-waste contibutes hazardous chemicals in the form of lead which when washed of by water makes water toxic therby making marine life troubled.one of the serois threat posed by e-waste is due to its non-biodegradable nature.Most of these non-bio degradable items contain heavy metals like, carbon-zinc, silver oxide, lithium batteries, nickel-cadmium, zinc batteries and nickel-metal hydride etc. When these equipments are burnt then they release abundant amount of fumes which causes damage to Earth in a way beyond our imagination.Land filling also is not a safe method at all. Chemicals present in e waste like, mercury, lead, cadmium or plastics are dumped on the ground. These chemicals pose a severe threat to soil and underground water. Most of these chemical leach into underground water which is extremely hazardous.
The dangers posed by e-waste are of such magnitude that IT companies have signed pact on reducing e-waste .

E-Parisaraa, an eco-friendly recycling unit on the outskirts of Bangalore which is located in Dobaspet industrial area, about 45 Km north of Bangalore, makes full use of E-Waste. The plant which is India’s first scientific e-waste recycling unit will reduce pollution, landfill waste and recover valuable metals, plastics & glass from waste in an eco-friendly manner. E-Parisaraa has developed a circuit to extend the life of tube lights. The circuit helps to extend the life of fluorescent tubes by more than 2000 hours. If the circuits are used, tube lights can work on lower voltages. The initiative is to aim at reducing the accumulation of used and discarded electronic and electrical equipments.

Now it is we who also have to contribute in this noble cause of reducing E-pollution.But how can we do it????Here are some tips which might seem small but when followed by everyone can start a revolution:
1)Use your electronic equipments for as long as possible. Even if they become old and obsolete try continue using them.In case of computers before changing your computer check if it can be upgraded and if this can be done by replacing two or three components then itwill be great contribution.
2)Working consumer electronics may be donated to a charity or thrift store so that they can be reused by others.
3)Learn how to recycle rechargeable cell phone batteries - to keep heavy metals out of landfills. Bury old batteries in your back garden, or look for recyclers that have taken the new 'Electronics Recycler's Pledge
4) Nokia has started with its initiative to reduce e-pollution.There are close to 5000 Nokia recycling points globally, each taking back mobile devices and accessories.Find your nearest recycling point at Nokia care centre,Nokia priority dealers, Nokia concept stores.You can also know about your nearest recycling point. Just SMS GREEN to 55555.

There are few who have taken this whole issue to an altogether a new level.Mr. B.K.Soni has no qualms making his hands dirty.His no ordinary van is an electronic shredder on wheels. It goes from office to office to pick up discarded e-waste. To read more about this wonderful initiative click here ECORECO....

Copenhagen summit at your own place

2009-12-30T15:57:00.003+05:30

SO, Copenhagen summit is finally over.We got to see more stubbornness of developed nations and basket full of promises that is not going to solve any immediate problem.Countries are too stringent on their issue and none is ready to budge to make this Earth some what more greener. Kyoto protocol may die and green technology will be a distant dream.Emissions are increasing with green house gases showing signs of making blanket on earth making it more hotter and less greener. Where as countries are showing improvement in declining rate of deforestation where forest cover has increased by 0.07 percent in india,on the other hand we have increased the emissions at much faster rate scaling on 20-30 percent. If this rate continues we will definitely have to bow down to hammer of nature with increased floods, droughts, el nino's and katrinas. Melting glaciers are already dangerous signs making picture very clear but we have 15 days summits where bargains are being made to buy carbon credits,passing of green technology becomes very difficult and there is only blame game between developed and developing nations.
Is anything other than maintaining the equilibrium of Earth more important??Why are countries not ready to decrease their emissions????Why countries are hesitating in passing green technology to poorer nations???I have no political knowledge but to me 15 day drama at Copenhagen seemed to be purely insane and 'We can'(read Obama) now seems 'We cannot'.Leave apart making this Earth better Place for our future generations,first, we have to make sure that we can survive. In metropolitan cities we breathe smoke and drink contaminated water which can surely land one on a hospital bed.
So without being too cynical about everything lets start a copenhagen summit at our own homes, in our own complexes and localities. The idea is when each one will contribute it will make a big diference and will mark a new beginning.From now onwards everyday i will come up with few small suggestions that might sound very small for such a big issue but once it starts getting executed the results will definitely come forward. It will require a bit of sacrifice but that is worth of it. I will also mention the name of organizations which are working in their own respective manner to improve this place and make it a better one to live.

Todays tips:
Tune your car to cut air pollution:
1)Maintenance and service at regular intervals helps reduce the amount of emissions.
2)Oil change at recommended time interval is also essential. Change the oil even if the car is unused for several months. Avoid using low grade oil and lubricant.
3)Drive the car at a steady speed. This improves the fuel economy of the car. High fuel efficiency means less fuel consumption and less emissions.
4)Tyre pressure also plays a vital role in fuel consumption. Proper inflation is very necessary to run the car smoothly or else the car wheels will simply drag on the road. This requires more fuel and henceforth, more emissions. So, check wheel alignment and tyre pressure at regular intervals.
5)Don’t idle the car for more than two minutes. Switch off the engine if the car is stopped for a couple of minutes. Also reduce engine warm up time during winters. Idling for longer periods result in excessive engine wear which takes in more fuel for combustion and expels more pollutants.
6)If possible combine car trips. If there are two people travelling from the same place to the same destination, they can use the same car for commuting. This will at least reduce one car on road. One plus one becomes two and slowly the number will increase to ten and hundred out of the thousand cars running on road.
7)Sweep away the dirt from the carburetor and adjust the idling speed at every 3000 kms.
8)have a well fitted fuel cap on your car to avoid the unnecessary release of fumes from your petrol tank into the air where they can be breathed in and contribute to photochemical smog.
9)think about converting to Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG). This will not only reduce your contribution to air pollution, but is also more cost effective.

15 October, 2009

2009-10-15T22:57:00.002+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'Be More'

- Titan

1)Which is the national river of India?
ans: Ganga

2)Which is the first animated character to find place at Madam Tussaud museum in Newyork?
ans: Spongebob square pant

3)Who is the new MD of Wockhardt?
ans: Murtaza H Khorakiwala

4)Who is the first person to get a Nobel prize and Oscar?
ans: George Bernard Shaw

5)Which famous persons portrait do we find on US dollar note?
ans: Benjamin Franklin

6)Who recently stepped down as director of media firm NDTV?
ans: Narayan Murthy

7)What is India's national aquatic animal?
ans: Dolphin

8)On what basis the poverty line ascertained?
ans: Calcium intake by the people

9)Which king is known as the 'Napoleon of India'?
ans: Samudragupta

10)Flemish is the the term used to describe the inhabitants of which country?
ans: Belgium

11)Which chemical is used for cloud seeding?
ans: Silver iodide

12)India's rank in the list of human development index?
ans: 132

13)Year in which All India Radio began its formal operations?
ans: 1936

15)Who is known as the first space tourist of the world?
ans: Dennis Tito

2 October, 2009

2009-10-02T08:50:00.003+05:30

1)Who is the the chairman of planning commission of India?
ans: Dr. Manmohan Singh

2)This person became the youngest one to sail around the world alone recently?
ans: Zac Sunderland

3)Where would you find Wills tower(formerly known as 'sears tower') in the world?
ans: Chicago

4)Who was the president of India during the emergency from June 1975 to March 1977?
ans: Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed

5)Shelbyville is a fictional city in the famous television series of?
ans: The Simpson

6)SEBI was created in which year?
ans: 1988

7)The version of Google Earth by ISRO launched recently?
ans: Bhuvan

MAHATMA GANDHI, our father of the nation...here some facts about him which many of us might not be knowing

1)Mahatma Gandhi spoke English with an Irish accent

2)As a child he was afraid of darkness.

3)He was married at the age of 13 to Kasturba Gandhi.

4)Mahatma Gandhi had a law office in South Africa.

5) His income during those days in South Africa touched fifteen thousand dollars a year! Something still a dream for most Indians !

6)Mahatma Gandhi experimented with diets to see how cheaply he could live and remain healthy. He started living principally on fruit and goats’ milk and olive oil.

7)the last words on his lips were 'Hey Ram'.

8)Mahatma Gandhi inspired many noble prize winners but he himself never got one.

9)Gandhi's policy of Satyagraha, based largely on Hinduism, was influenced by many diverse sources, including Christ, Leo Tolstoy, and Henry David Thoreau.

10)He was educated at London University and became an attorney. But the first time he attempted to make a speech in court, his knees trembled, and he was so frightened that he had to sit down in confusion and defeat.

1 October, 2009

2009-10-01T08:36:00.003+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'What the web can be'

-Macromedia

1)'Project Arrow' is associated with?
ans: Department of Post

2)Global Positioning system(GPS) was developed by?
ans: US department of defence

3)Acetylalicylic acid is the chemical name of which drug?
ans: Aspirin

4)Who was the first president of constituent assembly of India, when it met on December 9, 1946?
ans: Dr. Sachidanand Sinha

5)The great musician, Tansen, belonged to which vocal gharana?
ans: Gwalior

6)Which port built during the British rule, is the oldest operating port in India?
ans: Port of Kolkata

7)Which American state has the highest number or representatives in the US house of representatives?
ans: California

8)Who is the chief of press council of India?
ans: G.N. Ray

9)What is the venue for the first ever youth Olympic games scheduled to take place in the month of August next year?
ans: Singapore

10)According to the reports of UN world food program(WPF), which country tops world hunger chart?
ans: India

Commonly used idioms with their meanings:

Blow the gaff	Reveal the plot
To eat humble pie	To apologize
Throw down the gauntlet	Challenge
Bury the hatchet	Make peace
Apple pie order	Extreme neatness

24 September, 2009

2009-09-24T23:01:00.003+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'The future of automobile'

-Daimler Chrysler

1)The official broadcaster of ICC events in the subcontinent till 2015 is?
ans: ESPN

2)The first National Security Guards hub was launched in June 2009 at?
ans: Mumbai

3)Who was the prime minister of India at the time of nationalization of banks in 1969?
ans: Indira Gandhi

4)Who is the female brand ambassador of Big Bazaar?
ans: Asin

5)Which Harry Potter star is new face of Vaio?
ans: Emma Watson

6)The CEO of Mahindra Satyam is
ans: C.P. Gurnani

7)Tata Teleservices has launched GSM services in June 2009 in partnership with?
ans: DoCoMo

8)Which bank is observing its Golden Jubilee in 2009?
ans: South Indian bank

9)What is brand name so popular in India that it is used as generic name for bottled water?
ans: Bisleri

10)Which football player is known as the "Dodo"?
ans: Ricardo Lucas

23 September, 2009

2009-09-23T23:28:00.002+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'Profit from it'

-CNBC

1)Where does bile juice get stored in the human body before flowing into the intestine?
ans: Gall bladder

2)Name given to the first nuclear submarine?
ans: Nautilus(USA,1954)

3)Name the chief election commissioner of India?
ans: Navin Chawla

4)Who became the first woman to fly MIG-35 recently?
ans: Suman Sharma(world's first also)

5)Where and when was the first e-court launched in India?
ans: Ahmadabad , February 8,2009

6)31st SAARC council of ministers meeting was concluded recently at?
ans: Colomba, Srilanka

7)When is the 'world book & copyright day' celebrated?
ans: 23 April

8)Which Indian player won the NSC championship in 2009?
ans: Joshna chinappa

9)Who is the author of 'idea of justice"?
ans: Amartya Sen

10)With what event Nanavati commission is linked?
ans: To investigate 1984 anti-sikh riots

States with their promotion lines for tourism:

West Bengal	The heart throb of millions
Madhya Pradesh	The Heart of India
Himachal Pradesh	Unforgettable Himachal
UP	Amazing heritage, Grand experiences
Assam	Gateway to the north eastern part of India

19 September, 2009

2009-09-19T19:54:00.003+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'Think Hatke'

-Virgin mobile

1)Movie directed by Mira Nair that won the Golden Lion award in 2001?
ans: Monsoon wedding

2)The UNO is observing 2009 as the year of?
ans: Astronomy

3)"I have a dream" is an inspiring speech of?
ans: Martin Luther king

4)which city is known as ' Manchester of south India'?
ans: Coimbatore

5)Which bank is associated with sapnay credit card?
ans: Standard charted bank

6)Name the first Indian company to dematerialize its shares?
ans: Reliance

7)Calcium is required in plants for the formation of?
ans: Cell wall

8)World literacy day is celebrated on?
ans: 8 September

9)For what would one use a hygroscope?
ans: To measure humidity in the air

10)Japanese call their country as?
ans: Nippon

States with their promotion lines for tourism:

Karnataka	One state many worlds
Meghalaya	Beyond the clouds
Chandigarh	Hub of north India
Andhra Pradesh	Essence of incredible India
J&K	Tourist paradise

18 September, 2009

2009-09-18T23:37:00.003+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'Quality Revolution'

- Toyota

1)India's first nuclear powered submarine that was launched for trails?
ans: INS Arihant

2)This person won the prestigious Tour de Force for the second time recently?
ans: Alberto Contador

3)Which country won the woman's world cup in 2009?
ans: Australia

4)Who has been newly appointed as SONY India chief?
ans: Keki Dediseth

5)Which two countries joined the in the Euro currency zone in January, 2008?
ans: Cyprus, Malta

6)Name India's Multi Barrel rocket launch system(MBRLS)?
ans: Pinaka

7)42nd Jnanpith award was recently conferred on Satya Vrat Shastri for his contribution to?
ans: Sanskrit

8)Which film won the 55th National film award?
ans: Kanchivaram

9)Who created cartoon character garfield?
ans: Jim Davis

10)Name the company whose CEO was chosen as the manager of the century by Fortune Magazine?
ans: General Electric

States with their promotion lines for tourism:

Kerala	God's own country
Punjab	The smiling soul of India
Manipur	Jewel of India
Sikkim	Nature's own garden
Chattisgarh	Full of surprises

11 September, 2009

2009-09-11T10:29:00.002+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'The Joy of Flying'

-Jet Airways

1)Which bank started the first ATM in India?
ans: HSBC(1987)

2)Name of the newest microprocessor that belongs to the stable of Intel?
ans: Atom

3)"Hippo' is the name of the new snack brand that was launched recently. It belongs to?
ans: Parle Agro

4)President and chief operating officer of world's second largest credit card company, Mastercard??
ans: Ajay Banga

5)Saina Nehwal became the first Indian to win a Super Series badminton tournament recently. She won?
ans: Indonesian Open

6)The word 'Marathon' fort running 42.195 km of distance comes from?
ans: The name of place where the first race of its kind began

7)Which online matrimony site was founded by J.Murugavel, who himself found his wife through the internet??
ans: Bharatmatrimony.com

8)Who are the Bretton Woods sisters?
ans: World Bank & International monetary fund(IMF)

9)New chairman of HCL computers?
ans: Roshni Nadar

10)How long is a standard billiard table?
ans: 12 feet

9 September, 2009

2009-09-09T15:36:00.003+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'Trusted Family Bank'

-Dena bank

WEDNESDAY WIZARDS

12th RAJIV GANDHI AWARDS goes to.......

1)SOCIAL FIELD - RAJSHREE BIRLA

2)WOMEN ACHIEVER - KRUSHNA PATIL

3)YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR - ROHIT KOCHHAR

4)SUPER ACHIEVER - DR. G.MADHAVAN NAIR

5)CHILD PRODIGY - AVIKA GOR

6)EDUCATIONIST - DR. NARENDRA JADHAV

7)GLOBAL INDIAN - SAM PITRODA

8)SPORTS - ABHINAV BINDRA

9)JOURNALISM - RAMESH CHANDRA AGARWAL

10)INDUSTRIALIST - VINEET JAIN

11)BEST ACTOR - SHAHID KAPOOR

12)BEST ACTRESS - KATRINA KAIF

8 September, 2009

2009-09-08T15:34:00.003+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'Just do it'

-Nike

TUESDAY TURNOVERS & TAKEOVERS

1)Which firm acquired Maytas infra?
ans: Il&FS(Infrastructure leasing & Financial service)

2)E-bay is planning to sell Skype to whom?
ans: Index ventures, Silver lake & Andreessen Horowitz

3)Who has acquired 'Nutrition business of Wockhardt'?
ans: Abbott Laboratories

4)Recently ArcelorMittal is picking up stake in which company?
ans: Uttam Galva steel

5)IBM bought which software & consulting firm in august, 2006?
ans: Internet security systems(ISS)

6)Which bank got nationalized by the UK government?
ans: Royal Bank of Scotland Group

7)Who bought world's biggest chewing gum producer Wrigley?
ans: Mars inc(US based)

7 September, 2009

2009-09-07T08:13:00.003+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'Invent'

-HP

MONDAY MINISTERS

Today will be posting list of some Union cabinet ministers

1) Pranab Mukherjee - Minister of Finance
2) A.K.Antony - Minister of Defence
3) P.Chidambram - Minister of Home Affairs
4) Mamta Banerjee - Minister of Railways
5) S.M.Krishna - Minister of External Affairs
6) Virbhadra Singh - Minister of Steel
7) Sushilkumar Shinde - Minister of Power
8) Dayanidhi Maran - Minister of Textiles
9) Murli Deora - Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas
10) Kamal Nath - Minister of Road Transport & Highways
11) S.Jaipal Reddy - Minister of Urban Development
12) Vilasrao Deshmukh - Minister of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises
13) Farooq Abdullah - Minister of New & Renewable Energy
14) M.Veerappa Moily - Minister of Law & Justice
15) Ambika Soni - Minister of Information & Broadcasting
16) Kapil Sibal - Minister of Human Resource Development
17) Anand Sharma - Minister of Commerce & Industry
18) M.S.Gill - Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports
19) Kantilal Bhuria - Minister of Tribal affairs
20) M.k.Azahgiri - Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers

MANIA(obsession or addiction to)

Drugs	Narcomania
Oneself	Egomania
Religion	Theomania
Alcohol	Diposomania
Power	Megalomania

6 September, 2009

2009-09-06T10:33:00.004+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'Powered by intellect, driven by value'

-Infosys

WEEKEND WISDOM

1)With economic growth 0.9% in April to June quarter, which country officially exited recession in 2009?
ans: Japan

2)Which bollywood celebrities were awarded the 12th Rajiv Gandhi National award in 2009?
ans: Shahid Kapur & Katrina Kaif

3)Which country launched its first space rocket, Naro-1 in August 2009?
ans: South Korea

4)On 27 August, Pakistan begins its first international freight train service from Islamabad to?
ans: Istanbul

5)Tamils constitute a majority in which parts of Srilanka?
ans: North & East Srilanka

6)What is 'Flushing Meadows' popularly known as?
ans: US Open

7)Name of the World's first cloned horse?
ans: Prometea

LATIN TERMS USED COMMONLY IN ENGLISH

Prorata	In proportion
Vox populi	Public opinion
Bonafide	Genuine & sincere
De facto	In Reality
Ad Lib	Freely, unscripted

3 September, 2009

2009-09-03T11:50:00.003+05:30

punchline of the day:

'Hum Hain Na'

-ICICI

THURSDAY TWISTERS

1)Who is the protagonist of RK Narayan's Malgudi days?
ans: Swami

2)Which film did United Insurance company insured for 11 lakhs in 1998?
ans: Taal

3)Which is the highest dam in India?
ans: Tehri dam(on Bhagirathi river,261 meters)

4)Which is the highest airport in India?
ans: Leh airport(also the highest commercial airport in world)

5)Which the longest River bridge in India?
ans: Mahatma Gandhi setu on river Ganga in Patna(also world's longest)

6)Name of the atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima on 6 August, 1945?
ans: Little Boy

6)Name of the atom bomb dropped on Nagasaki?
ans: Fat Man(3 days after little boy was dropped)

SPANISH TERMS USED COMMONLY IN ENGLISH

Plaza	Public square
Cortes	Parliament
Caballero	Gentleman
Alcazar	Palace or Fortress
Caudillo	Military leader

2 September, 2009

2009-09-02T12:52:00.003+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'Boond Boond Main Vishwas'

-Kinley

WEDNESDAY WIZARDS

1)Who is the first Asian born player to win the 2009 PGA men's major championship?
ans: Yang Young-eun

2)Who received Rajiv Gandhi Khel ratna award for year 2008-09?
ans: Mary Kom(Boxing), Vijender Singh(Boxing), Sushil Kumar(Wrestling)

3Which scientist received Nobel prize for both chemistry and peace?
ans: Linus Pauling:chemistry(1954), Peace(1962)

4)First Indian mixed double pair to win a Grand prix Gold title in Chinese Taipei(in badminton)?
ans: Jwala Gutta & V Diju

5)Who created the world wide web(WWW)?
ans: Tim Berners-Lee

6)Who started Facebook and where?
ans: Mark Zuckerberg at Harward University

7)Who won the Pulitzer prize iin Journalism for 'public service'?
ans: Las Vegas Sun( courageous reporting by Alexandra Berzon)

ITALIAN TERMS USED COMMONLY IN ENGLISH

Palazzo	Mansion or palace
Piazza	Public square
Ciao	Goodbye
Al fresco	In open air
carabiniere	Policeman

1 September, 2009

2009-09-01T08:41:00.003+05:30

punchline of the day:

'Fly Smart'

- GO Air

TUESDAY TURNOVERS & TAKEOVERS

1)Ebay Inc in about to purchase a substantial stake in which leading South Korean online market place?
ans: G-Market(34.21% stake)

2)Recently, Bycell's telecom license approval for operation in India was revoked. What is the country of origin of Bycell?
ans: Switzerland

3)Which company owns Skoda worldwide?
ans: Volkswagen

4)Who bought stake in Chrysler after it declared bankruptcy?
ans: FIAT

5)This bank topped the list of 1000 strongest banks revealed by Banker Magazine recently?
ans: J P Morgan

6)Recently Disney bought which entertainment company?
ans: Marvel Entertainment Inc(all of its 5000 comic book characters for $4 billion)

7)Hindalco acquired which major Canadian firm?
ans: Novelis

FRENCH TERMS USED COMMONLY IN ENGLISH

Belles-lettres	Fine literature
Beaux-arts	Fine arts
Raison d'etre	Reason of existence
Volte-face	About turn, Policy reversal
Ci-doux	Love letter

31 August, 2009

2009-08-31T08:25:00.004+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'The name you can bank upon'

-Punjab National Bank

MONDAY MINISTERS

1)President of which country is diagnosed with swine flu?
ans: Oscar Arias Sanchez(Costa Rica)

2)India's first finance minister who presented the budget in November 1947?
ans: Shanmukham Chetty

3)Who is the only Indian President who was the speaker of Lok Sabha also?
ans: Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy

4)Who was the first Indian Governor-General of India?
ans: C. Rajagopalchari

5)Who elects the president of India?
ans: Parliament and state assemblies

6)Founder of Indian national congress?
ans: A.O.Hume( in 1885)

7)Who is the chief economic Advisor, Ministry of finance India?
ans: Arvind Virmani

FRENCH TERMS USED COMMONLY IN ENGLISH

Faux pas	blunder
Beau monde	Fashionable society
Haute cuisine	High class cooking
Ide e fixe	Obsession
A la mode	In fashion

29 August, 2009

2009-08-29T08:36:00.004+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'World's local Bank'

-HSBC

WEEKEND WISDOM

1)India's first talkie film?
ans: Alamara

2)India's largest selling ice cream?
ans: Amul

3)Largest soft drink concentrate producer in India?
ans: Rasna pvt. ltd.

4)Largest bank in India?
ans: State Bank of India

5)First Indian 3D movie?
ans: Chota Chetan

6)India's largest Music Retail chain?
ans: Music World(RPG group)

7)India's largest automobile company?
ans: TATA motors

PHOBIA

Animals	Zoophobia
Birds	Ornithophobia
Bees	Melissophobia, Apiophobia
Worms	Helminthophobia, Scoileciphobia
Fish	Ichthyophobia

28 August, 2009

2009-08-28T08:20:00.004+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'On Demand'

-IBM

FRIDAY FLORA AND FAUNA

1)Woody vines called lianas are common to
ans: Rainforest

2)Taiga is the term applied to the
ans: Boreal forest

3)What do scientists regard as the most intelligent of lifestock?
ans: Pigs

4)Which is the only animal that build a nest to sleep in, every night?
ans: Orangutan

5)In Egypt the heart of which animal did the peasants eat to obtain courage?
ans: Tiger

6) What are groundnuts more commonly known as?
ans: Peanuts

7)Which herb is used in herbal remedy for asthma and coughs related to inflammation or allergies?
ans: Ginger

PHOBIA

Children	Paedophobia
Men & Boys	Androphobia
Girls & Women	Gynophobia
Foreigners	Xenophobia
Ghosts	phasmophobia

27 August, 2009

2009-08-27T08:33:00.005+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'The Choice is Simple'

-Kingfisher Red

THURSDAY TWISTERS

1)In which state of India is it legal for a Hindu male and illegal for a Muslim male to have more than one living wife?
ans: Goa

2)Name of the line of the longitude that is 0 degree?
ans: Prime Meridian

3)Primary producer of newsprint in the world is?
ans: Canada

4)Where does the formation of urea takes place in our body?
ans: Liver

5)Which form of intellectual property can provide the longest protection?
ans: Trademark

6)Which state has maximum number of seats reserved for schedule tribes in Lok sabha?
ans: Madhya Pradesh

7)First woman music director in film industry?
ans: Jaddan Bai

PHOBIA

Mice	Musophobia
Dogs	Cynophobia
Spiders	Arachnaphobia
Horses	Hippophobia
Cats	Gatophobia, Ailurophobia

26 August, 2009

2009-08-26T08:26:00.005+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'High Performance Delivered'

-Accenture

WEDNESDAY WIZARDS

1)Who is the oldest recipient of Noble prize for economics?
ans: William Vickrey

2)She was Awarded the Nikkei Asia prize for 2009 recently. Who is being referred to here?
ans: Kiran Mazumdar Shaw( chairman of Biocon)

3)First Pakistani to receive the Noble Prize?
ans: Dr. Abdus Salam(for physics in 1979)

4)'Last judgement' was the first painting of which famous Italian painter?
ans: Michelangelo

5)Name the only Indian musician to have sung in United Nations?
ans: Ms Subbulakshmi

6)Who invented Jet engine?
ans: Sir Frank Whittle

7)To which movement do you associate Arvind Kejriwal with?
ans: Right to Information Act(RTI)

25 August, 2009

2009-08-25T08:20:00.004+05:30

Punchline of the day:

'India's international bank'

-Bank of Baroda

TUESDAY TURNOVERS & TAKEOVERS

1)Which international company owns Lotus development company?
ans: IBM

2)Which company became the world's first $100 billion brand?
ans: Google

3)Anil Agarwal controlled Vedanta resources has brought a 9.5% stake for $80 million in which Canadian major?
ans: Hudbay minerals

4)In one of a kind in India and probably another first, Bharti Airtel has signed up a 26:74 joint venture with which company to manage its fixed line business?
ans: Alcatel-Lucent

5)According to recent report published in TOI, IPL-2 is a estimated $2 billion business. Which team has emerged as the most vauabe team with a highest brand value of $42.1 million?
ans: Kolkata Knight Riders

6)After IBM backed out of deal, which company is now said to be in talks for acquiring the tech major SUN microsystems- a company valued over $7.4 billion?
ans: Oracle

7)Suresh Nand owned Sea Rock hotel, a property valued at Rs. 700 crore, is said to be acquired by which Indian hospitality major?
ans: Indian Hotels Company(The taj group of Hotels)