Question - 619

The map on the left depicts an rating scale named after the person on the right. Identify.

Answer: The Sudanese telecom billionaire Mo Ibrahim (right)after whom the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (left) is named. Saket, Krithi, Divya Shankar, mekie, and Sribharath got it. Well done.

Question - 618

Connect. (Hint: The white arrows in the left image)

Answer: I was looking for Ghibli - the local name for the Sirocco wind in Libya (left picture), famously mentioned in the Oscar-winning English Patient (top right). It lends its name to the wonderful Studio Ghibli (Hayao Miyazaki et al.) which is famous for producing many animated features including Miyazaki's Totoro (featured on Studio Ghibli's logo). Only Anonymous got it.

Question - 617

This year's winner at what famous event?

Answer: The Sapporo snow festival. Jaggi and Krithi got it. Nicely done!

Question - 616

What is inscribed on this object?

Answer: The Code of Hammurabi. Saket, Iam, Manix, Royan, matti tapaninen, and Dinesh got it. Nicely done.

Question - 615

Connect through a term. The left-most person in the black-and-white picture is important.

Answer: The term is "bunga bunga" now popularized by the parties hosted by Silvio Berlusconi (top right). One of the earliest references to this term was in the Dreadnought hoax perpetuated on the British Admiralty by a team consisting of Virginia Woolf (left-most in the B/W pic and top left played by Nicole Kidman in The Hours). Sribharath, matti tapaninen, Abhishek, mekie, and Dinesh got it.

Question - 614

Identify and connect.

Answer: The character Bane (left) in the upcoming Christopher Nolan movie Dark Knight Rises will be portrayed by Tom Hardy (right). Ameya, Hari, matti tapaninen, cobra 2020 fan, Kate Spartan, and Iam.

Question - 613

What started this way?

Answer: The modern Miss Universe contest started out as the International Pageant of Pulchritude in Galveston, Texas in 1926. Ameya, matti tapaninen, Krithi, Dinesh, Saket, and Iam got it.

Question - 612

What does this map depict? (Note: "It" is measured on a 10-point scale)

Answer: The Democracy index, which measures the state of democracy in 167 countries. Deepanshu, mekie, and Saket got it. Well done!

Question - 611

Identify this historic structure.

Answer: Hadrian's wall, the Roman-era defense fortification in northern England. Ameya, Saket, mekie, Krithi, and Dinesh got it. Good job.

Question - 610

The world championships of which school-yard game?

Hint:

Answer: Conkers, "a game traditionally played by children in Britain, Ireland, and some former British colonies using the seeds of horse-chestnut trees." Only Anand got. Awesome!

Question - 609

Two different art forms dramatically depict what historical event?

Answer: The surrender of Vercingetorix, who tried to unite the Gauls against the Romans, to Julius Caesar. It is a central element in the Asterix comics plotline. Saket, Sameer Gauria, Mohan Phadnis, Dinesh, matti tapaninen, and Manix got it.

Question - 608

This is an illustration of which prevalent theory?

Answer: Hubbert peak theory or peak oil theory. Ameya, Sameer Gauria, KAMANASISH, Jamie, Sribharath, Saket, and Manix got it.

Question - 607

Identify and connect.

Answer: The connect is the Fountain of Youth. The map shows the 1513 voyage of the Ponce de Leon, who was famous for his quest for the fountain. The next installment of Pirates of the Caribbean (based on the book "On Stranger Tides" by Tim Powers) deals with a similar quest. Saket, Sribharath, matti tapaninen, Krithi, mekie, and Jamie got it. Good job.

Question - 606

Identify the non-uniformed participants in this infamous 1937 meeting.

Answer: Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson (in the news through the movie "The King's Speech") meeting Hitler in 1937. Saket, matti tapaninen, mekie, Krithi, Dinesh, and Kaushik got it. Well done.

Question - 605

What was this curious event?

Answer: Tulip mania. The figure charts the price of tulip bulb contracts showing the tulip bubble burst dramatically in February 1637 (as Dinesh pointed out, a history-of-the-day question courtesy Wikipedia). Ameya, Dinesh, and Kaushik got it. Great job.

Question - 604

What is this? (via: Manix)

Answer: Internet traffic from Egypt during the January revolution. Sameer Gauria, Shyaps, Saket, arvind, and Jaggi got it. Well done.