Tribute to my Science Teacher- Michael Crichton

I was born in a small town called Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. We usually don’t get the English movies get released there. Usually we get the popular old movies in Theatre. The main means of watching English movies were through hired video cassettes. Sometimes we used to get the prints even before the movie’s official release in India.

I saw a movie, I think it was during 1993 without the knowing the name where old man has a dinosaur park and how it gets ruined . It was Jurassic Park. I was not old enough to know who was Spielberg or dinosaurs or even the man who created the story..

I came to know about the movie after it’s official release in India, I think a year after the original release. It was also the first movie to get dubbed in Tamil. Even some of the schools in the town had a special show for the Children. That was the first time I got introduced to Crichton’s work.

My brother is a voracious reader of books like me. I believe that we got this trait from our mom, who used to read a lot of Tamil books and collect stories from magazines. But I got in to English novels because of my brother. As usual it started with Sidney Sheldon but I slowly moved on..

Usually we get money for the new year from the elders as a start to the year. Using one new year’s money I bought the first book of my life, which was “The Lost World” - the sequel to Jurassic Park. It was not as celebrated as the prequel but I liked the way it was written. The initial killing of the small girl by tiny T-Rexs was more chilling in the book than the movie…

I have never jumped up and wanted to buy Crichton’s books but I had strong affinity to the words of this guy. I read Congo and then Andromeda Strain.. But my favorite of his books is the most controversial one too..

I got this book during my Mumbai Training trip in 2005. It was one of my worst trips and I was heading back to Chennai in Train. I wanted a big bulky book which can salvage my 2 night travel. I bought this without hesitation because it was Crichton’s.. Believe me it was one of the unputdownable reads of my life.

The book is State of Fear which revolves around Eco Terrorism and Global Warming. The final scene is where the protagonist tries to stop the artificial tsunami attempt. It was shocking and hair rising experience for me because it was barely 3 months from the worst Indian Ocean Tsunami..

In State of Fear, he questions the intentions of scientists, environmentalists and governments who instigate fear on people’s minds based on global warming.

Then it was Prey and Next for me, one discussing Nano-Technology and the other on Genetic Engineering. He has always been like my high school science book. I get to know a lot of stuff about a particular topic from his book and I then search the internet, check his references to know more about the topic. He instills that interest in you when you read his book.

Whatever the critics say, he is one of those rare writers who can be a wonderful read for both the fiction mongers and educated..

It has been year of farewell for me.. First my favorite Tamil writer passed away and now my favorite English writer.. Sometimes I think why these people should die??

But one thing is for sure these writers will live as characters, places, plots and idols in the hearts of many people. Crichton will live as long as people remember dinosaurs, as long they debate global warming, as long Tsunami threats are there, when nano technology develops and when generic engineering produces a human mutation.. Above all every time when one reads a science fiction..

Hail Crichton..

Tags: Jurrasic Park, Michael Crichton, Science Fiction

Hiya All

I have tried a different way posting the Questions. I have tried and integrated the Powerpoint and Keynote Presentations in to Zoho Show - a product from my company Adventnet.. Its a online presentation tool and can be embedded on to your websites.

Have a look at it and give your feedbacks.

PRELIM

FINALS

Sorry for the Delay in posting the questions. It was due to the long festival weekend and little bit of busy work in office.

For the official review from IQL,
http://iquiz.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/a-quiz-of-two-days%e2%80%a6-reviews-of-the-prelims-and-finals-part-12/

For BIM Quest Review

http://iquiz.wordpress.com/2008/10/25/review-of-the-bim-quest-biz-quiz-on-19th-oct-2008/

and For the Questions

http://www.sylvianism.com/2008/10/21/bim-quest-08/

Happy Quizzing

Tags: Biz Quiz, IQL, Mirchi Clash of Corporates, Quiz Review

PRELIMS

Questions

Pure Motivation

1.Which watch brand does Deepika Padukone endorse?

Tissot

2.Which group recently launched ‘Colors’ channel worldwide?

Viacom

3.High Tech computer is to launch the android platform- powered G1 phone soon. Who developed Android?

Google

4.Air Deccan to ________ to Kingfisher Red. Fill in the Blank?

Simply Fly Deccan

5.Which production house has produced the film “ The Last Lear”?

Planman Motion Pictures

Get Started

6.The Federal National Mortgage Association of the USA has been in news recently. How do we know it better?

Fanny Mae

7.Which company was founded by Rashesh Shah and Venkat Ramaswamy in 1995 has a cricket connection with ICL?

Edelweiss

8.Which Indian dotcom pioneer has been appointed the Chairman Emeritus of “Internet and Mobile Association of India”?

Ajit Balakrishnan

9.Cadbury Schweppes announced the mass shipment of which product to potential alien sites in Arizona?

7UP

10.Which country would you link to the quote “ I care less about the GNP and more about the Gross National happiness”?

Bhutan

Cruise Control

11.Which city has overtaken Las Vegas in terms of revenue from Casinos?

Macao

12.BHEL Logo

13.Often preached in the corporate world which law reads, “doing it the hard way is always easier in the long run”?

Murphy’s law

14. Tough Choices: A Memoir is a book by which former powerhouse woman IT ceo?

Carly Florina

15.Shopper’s Shop Print Ad

16.Which product recently in news sports the tagline “Like Nothing Else”?

Hummer

17.Who advertises with the baseline “I Build I Bond”?

Ibibo

18.India comes home in a Maruti

19.Ranbaxy tied up with PVR cinemas to give free samples of which of its products?

Revital

20.Rajan Nanda’s Pic

Last lap

21.Which Indian IT company launched “Fit for life” programme to evaluate and improve the physical and mental health of its employees?

Wipro

22.Which famous Indian is set to open 500 schools under the name ABAPS ( Ace Public School)?

Abhinav Bindra

23.One Night at the call center book cover – Identify the author

Chetan Bhagat

24.India Post new Logo

25.Complete the Dilbert Quote “ A ____ _____ is one who dies of natural causes on a Thursday Afternoon”?

Perfect Boss

Finals

Management Chronology

1.This word – French in origin – Latin for “Minute” or “Minutes”- it means small details – In a Internet research, it is said to ne the single largest thing to make more money next only to credit card.

Menu Card

2.The registrar of companies objected to the world Imperial in the name – Harry Mcgowan replied “the name has to be chosen because we are imperial in aspect and name- which company is this?

ICI Paints

3.Cadila Health care filed a suit against Dabur India regarding Chyawanprash. Why?

Dabur came up with SugarFree Chyawanprash and Sugar Free is a trademarked brand of Cadilla.

4.Thailand – Kyra Mode Corp is exclusive partner with publishing house in US to publish this in Thailand. They are in trade partnership with Gamma textiles of India to launch Playboy (Undergarments)

5.iPhone went for a patenting iPhone and found the Gramaphone company had a patent for 5Phone? What ‘s the significance.

They have got the patent for 5 Phonetics of “Mary had a little Lamb” the first words recorded on Gramaphone record.

6.Bunch of girls started out of curiosity – it diversified to become a detective agency – the business is called Honey Trapping ? What business?

They send girls to the prospective bride grooms and find whether they are homosexuals or not.

Managing Pixels ( Visual Round)

1.Reliance Bank logo – Bank for Salvation Army

2.Google logo on Laser anniversary day

3.Mikhail Kalashnikov – AK 47

4.Biometric Passport

5.Narasus Founder

6.Coutt’s Bank Logo

Connections ( May sound easy as I am giving the clues, but you will know the toughness of the questions only when you sit on the stage)

1.Connect Make Some Noise, Alfred Noble, Imagine, John Lennon Song – Amnesty International

2.I am yet to figure it out- Sorry

3.ICICI Bank, TCS Ramadorai Pic, Bosch Logo, Kingfisher Logo and Chennai Super Kings theme song. – Thirupathi Devasthanam – ICICI are the bankers, TCS is the software solutions provider, Bosch Machines for Laddu Making, Kingfisher took the first flight to Thriupathi before starting service and Srinivasan of Chennai Kings was the chairman of Devasthanam.

4.Bruce Mclaren, Vodafone, Kiwi Pic, Marlboro, Mumtalakat bank – Mclaren – Kiwi is the first logo and the bank has a huge stake

5.Lost it in the confusion

6.2010 US Census, Founders Pic, Titan,Skunkworks – Lockheed Martin

New Age Management – Three clues and you have to find the missing connect

1.Thambi, Bangalore Torpedo – 9^th battalion of Madras Regiment

2. Monica Lewinski, Reed Hastings, United States Postel Service – Netflix

3. Bernie Ecclestone, Mittal Champions Trust – LN Mittal

Finger Tip Management

1.Which term in usage was first coined by Mark Simpson in ‘The Independent”?

Metrosexual

2.Which Japanese manufacturer also make bicycles with the brand name “Anchor” – It races?

Bridgestone

3.Question about KP Singh

4.Dhoni Effect – A report on the rise of the small towns.