Encyclopaedia Britannica: History and Facts

The Encyclopædia Britannica was first published between 1768 and 1771 in Edinburgh. The Encyclopædia Britannica was founded by Colin Macfarquhar and Andrew Bell from Ireland. The present owner of Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. is Jacqui Safra , a Swiss billionaire and actor. The Britannica was dedicated to the British monarch from 1788 to 1901 and to both the British monarch and the President of the United States then onwards. In 1933, the Britannica became the first encyclopædia to adopt "continuous...

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Olympic Games: Basic Information

The Olympic games is the largest sporting event in the world with the participation of thousands of athletes from over 200 countries. The history of Olympics traces back to 776 BC. The first Olympics took place in Greece. Later, it was abandoned but was brought back by in 1896 to revive the history. Greece, the birthplace of the games, also witnessed the dawn of the modern Olympics that unites the different countries under one roof. Frenchman Pierre de Cubertin is regarded as the father of modern...

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American Presidents: Facts and Trivia

George Washington George Washington is the first US President. He is also known as the Father of Nation.The first US Vice President and 2nd President was John Adams.John Adams was the first US President to reside in White House. The official airplane of the US President is known as Airforce 1. George Washington is the only US President who won getting 100% electoral votes. Franklin D Roosevelt was the US President to serve for the longest time. He was the only person to be in the chair for more...

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The Mayan Calendar and World's End: Things to know

Author: Krishnanjan Pramanik The Mayans were the civilization inhabited in South America. They and the calendar devised by them, the 'Mayan Calendar' have been on headlines for a while. Non-senses are in the air about it and its connection with an another non-sense (End of world in 2012). But I really have doubt regarding the number of persons who really know about the Mayan way of counting days. Let me explain it for those who don't. First of all, the Mayans had two basic way of counting days,...

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Nokia 808 PureView comes up with 41 Mega Pixel Camera!

Believe it or not! Nokia is all set to make history as it launched their latest product Nokia 808 PureView smartphone at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The phone runs Symbian Belle instead of usual Windows Phone operating system. Nokia had announced that it is going to cease the Symbian handsets with the end of this year. That suggests that the 808 PureView may be one of the last Symbian Belle phones to come out from to the Nokia factory. The PureView is concieved by two Nokia engineers...

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Clearmyguilt.com; Confess your sins anonymously

Have you been feeling guilty of something you did in the past? And you wanted to confess it but none was there to give an ear or none should know that it was you? Then you should join the website Clearmyguilt.com (http://clearmyguilt.com). It is a different kind of website that allows its users to confess their deepest secrets and sins online keeping their anonymity. You can post your mistakes that have been haunting you in the forum named Guilt Box. The fellow users read rate the sins as either 'forgiveable' or 'unforgiveable'. The sinners who get more forgivable votes go to heaven and who get...

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Oscar Awards Quiz

Which was the first colour movie to win the Best Picture Oscar ?Who holds the record of winning the Best Director award most no.of times ?Which art director designed the Oscar statuette ?Who was the first to win an Oscar for Best Actress for a role in a foreign language film ?Which Oscar winning movie was a film adaptation of the George Bernard Shaw play, Pygmalion ?Who directed the Oscar winning film The Last Emperor, based on the life of Chinese emperor Pu-Yi ?Who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her 8 minutes long role in 1998 film Shakespeare in Love ?Which two actors share the...

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Cricket Quiz 1

This is the first edition of Cricket Quiz. Only Men's Cricket has been reffered to here. QuestionsIn which year the International Cricket Council was founded ?Who was the first bowler to take a hat-trick in Test Cricket ?Who holds the record for highest individual score in the World Cup ?Who was the first player to be declared out by the third umpire in an international match ?Sunil Gavaskar has taken only one wicket in Test Cricket. Who was his victim ?Which player was known as Black Bradman ?Which player scored century in his debut match, debut match as capain and the final match in Test Cricket...

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Music Quiz 1

Who is considered the father of Orchestra ? Which music band has won the most number of Grammy awards till date ? Who was the first Indian musician to do a symphony ? Who composed the ballet Swans in the Lake ? Who edited the book The Pelican History of Music ? Which musical instrument was invented by Italian Bartolommeo Christofori ? Which musician scored for the film Chariots of Fire to win an Oscar ? Who are known as the trinity of Carnatic Music ? Singer Harry Rodger Webb became popular in what name ? Bouzouki is a string instrument from where ? The song "Horst-Wessel-Lied" was the anthem...

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United Nations Specialised Agencies

Agency, Founding Year and HeadquartersUnited Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation [UNESCO] - 1946 - ParisUnited Nations International Children's Emergency Fund [UNICEF] - 1946 - New YorkUnited Nations Development Programme [UNDP] - 1972 - New YorkUnited Nations Environment Programme [UNEP] - 1972 - NairobiUnited Nations Fund for Population Activities [UNFPA] - 1969 - New YorkUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR] - 1950 - GenevaUnited Nations Industrial Development Organisation [UNIDO] - 1967 - ViennaUnited Nations Institute for Training and Research [UNITAR]...

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International Mother Language Day: History and Facts

The International Mother Language Day is observed annually on 21 February worldwide to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The observation was first announced by UNESCO on 17 November 1999. International Mother Language Day observation was inspired from the Language Movement Day commemorated in Bangladesh since 1952. HistoryOn 21 March 1948, Pakistan Governor General Mohammed Ali Jinnah declared Urdu as the only official language for both West and East Pakistan. The people of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh ) started to protest against this as Bangla was...

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Wildlife Quiz 1

What is the colour of Hippoppotamus sweat ? The extinct bird Dodo had lived in which country ? What is Ornithology a study of ? What type of creature is a Bombay Duck ? Which is the first National Park in the world ? Which are the two egg laying mammals ? Which is the only animal with chlorophyll ? Which is the smallest flightless bird ? Name the only kind of apes found in India. In which country the bird Kiwi is found ? In which class of deers both male and female have horns ? Which is the largest fish in the world ? Which Indian National Park is famous for One Horned Rhinos ? Which type of...

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History Quiz 1

Who is called the Father of History ? Who is the first Pharao king to be reffered in Bible ? Twelve Tables was the first book on the law system of which empire ? Which British Prime Minister presented the Act of Union in Parliament in 1800 that recommanded a common parliament for Britain and Ireland ? In what name the aids of Garibaldi, who led the Italian unification in 1800s, were known as ? Who named Greenland, the largest island in the world ? Who led the drafting of the Declaration of American Independence ? Which peace treaty ended the First World War ? The Pacific War during 1879-84 was...

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Literature Quiz 1

'Frailty, thy name is woman.' in which Shakespeare play do these words appear ?Who was the first African writer to win a Literature Nobel ?How do we better know Charles Dodgson ?Who was the first winner of Jnanpith Award, India's most prestigious literary honor ?Who was the author of The Godfather ?'Call me Ishmael', which classic novel begins with this line ?Which famous poet wrote the preface to Rabindranath Tagore's Gitanjali ?What is the other name of Geethagovindam by Jayadeva ?Sir Nigel and The White Company are the lesser known romance novels by which author ?Who is the only person to...

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Tweek : India's first tablet magazine

Times Internet Limited (TIL) has launched 'Tweek', India's first tablet magazine. The magazine can be accessed on the iPad and is to be launched on the iPhone and Android soon. Times CEO Rishi Khiani said that Times is intending to pioneer the 'tablet magazine' arena in India. Tweek will have the latest stories in all categories like business, entertainment and sports from across the globe.The Tweek application for the tablet was developed by TIL and the cloud-based mobile publishing company GENWI. The...

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Business Quiz 1

Which company was founded by Hans Wildorf ?In business regard, what is LUP ?The Aura brand of mobile phones are from which company ?Whose tagline reads as 'Life Well Shared' ?Who is the author of the book Inside Intel ?Which was the first commercial symbol to be featured at Madame Tussaud's ?Fill with a famous liquor brand. Facundo da _______? Jubilant Food Works is the Indian franchisee of which food chain ?Which Bollywood actor owns Monarch Group ?Which daily used word was coined by Deepak Mohani ?Simple Filler Pen Company is the former name of which penmaker ?Where is Tata Archives is located...

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Film Quiz 1

Which was the first colour movie to win a Best Picture Oscar ?Which Hollywood actress became the queen of Monaco later after her marriage to King Rainier ?Which production company was founded in 1919 by David Griffith, Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford ?Which great Tamil actor was known as Nadigar Tilakam ?Who adapted the classic novel Dr. Zhivago into film ?Whose autobiography is titled Magic Lantern ?Who has won the maximum number of Oscar awards ?Which film directed by Akira Kurasowa was an adaptation of Shakespearean play King Lear ?Bloodstone is the only Hollywood film...

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Technology Quiz

What is the expansion of SMTP ?Who developed the Linux operating system while being a University student ?Which wireless data transfer technology is named after a 10th century Viking King ?Which company produces the BlackBerry model phones ?In 2010, which country became the first in world to make access to broadband service a basic right ?What does the word 'Wiki' mean in Hawaiian ?Which social networking website was founded by Ramu Yalamanchi in 2003 ?Where was the first Cyber Court in India was insituted ?Who is considered as the father of Nanotechnology ?Which science fiction auther wrote...

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Places Quiz

Which is the largest island among the Lakshadweep Islands ? In which country do you find the Cave of Letters ? What does the word Sahara, as in the name of world's largest desert, mean in the native language ? Which is the largest fresh water lake in the world ? Which country was earlier called Upper Volta ? Which is the largest mountain peak outside Asia ? Which strait separates Africa and Europe ? Horse Shoe Falls and American Falls are the two parts of which famous water falls ? In which city is the famous Copacabana beach ? Which famous canal was opened for passage on 15 August, 1914 ? Which...

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Sports Quiz 1

In which sport, the referee is called President ?Which is the national game of Scotland ?Which sport is known as King of Sports ?Who was the first Indian woman to win a gold at Asian Games ?Which country hosted the first Football World Cup ?Who was the first Cricketer to win Arjuna Award ?In which Olympics, 26 world records were broken in Swimming ?Who was the first person to complete a Tennis Grandslam ?Which two nations competed in the first ever International Handball match ?How many times India have won gold in Olympic Hockey ?Which martial art was earlier called Ji-jitsu ?In 1988 who became...

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India Quiz 1

This is the first of the India Quiz series. Some general knowledge questions and answers on India are given here. Who was the first foreigner to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour ? In which space vehicle did Rakesh Sharma go to space ? Who was the first Indian to cross the English Channel ? What is the southernmost point of India called ? Which is the only Indian state to have English as its official language ? In which year the Indian constitution was amended for the first time ? What is the strait that separates India and Sri Lanka called ? Who was the first Governor...

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Important Days in India

January 9 : Pravasi Bharatiya Divas January 12 : National Youth Day January 15 : Army Day January 25 : National Tourism Day January 26 : Republic Day January 30 : Martyrs’ Day February 28 : National Science Day March 3 : National Defence Day March 4 : National Security Day March 16 : National Vaccination Day April 5 : National Maritime Day April 21 : National Civil Services Day May 11 : National Technology Day July 26 : Kargil Victory Day August 9 : Quit India Day August 15 : Independence Day August 20 : Sadbhavna Divas August 29 : National Sports Day September 5 : Teachers’ Day; Sanskrit Day October...

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Important International Days

January 1 Global Family Day Jan 6 : World Day for War Orphans Jan 10 : World Laughter Day Jan 26 : International Customs Day Jan 27 : International Holocaust Remembrance Day Jan 30 : World Leprosy Eradication Day February 2 World Wetland Day Feb 4 : World Cancer Day Feb 2nd Sunday : World Marriage Day Feb 14 : Valentine’s Day Feb 20 : World Day of Social Justice Feb 21 : International Mother Language Day Feb 22 : World Scouts Day Feb 23 : World Peaces and Understanding Day March 4 World Day of the Fight Against Sexual Exploitation Mar 8 : International Womens' Day, International Literacy Day Mar...

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Pop singer Whitney Houston dies

Legendary pop singer Whitney Houston passed away on Saturday. She was found dead at a hotel in Beverly Hills. She was 48. The death cause hasn't been revealed yet. She has been struggling with drug addiction problems for a few years. Houston was one of the top-selling artists in pop music history, with more than 170 million records sold all over the world. She was born on August 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey. Houston entered the pop music world with self-titled debut album, released in 1985....

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10 things you might not know about Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is one of the most celebrated days in the world. It is the day for lovers. Here are given some rare known facts about Valentine's Day. The Valentine's Day was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD. One of many legends about the Valentine's Day says that it commommorates St. Valentine, the priest who was killed by Roman emperor Claudius II for performing secret marriages against the laws. The first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romance is found in 'Parlement of Foules', a poem written by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1382. Hamlet is the only Shakespearean play that mentions...

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Commonwealth Games Years and Host Cities

The Commonwealth Games is the multisport event held among the member countries of former British Commonwealth. The event was started in the name British Empire Games in 1930. Later it was called British Empire and Commonwealth Games and British Commonwealth Games. It has been known as simply Commonwealth Games since 1978. Year, City and Country As British Empire Games 1930 - Hamilton (Canada) 1934 - London (Britain) 1938 - Sydney, New South Wales (Australia) 1950 - Auckland (New Zealand) As British Empire and Commonwealth Games 1954 - Vancouver (Canada) 1958 - Cardiff (Wales) 1962 - Perth ...

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Asian Games Years and Host Cities

The Asian Games or Asiad (formerly Asiatic Games) is the largest multisport event for Asian countries. It was founded in 1951. The motto of Asian Games is 'Ever Onwards'. Year, City and Country1951 - New Delhi (India) 1954 - Manila (Philippines) 1958 - Tokyo (Japan) 1962 - Jakarta (Indonesia) 1966 - Bangkok (Thailand) 1970 - Bangkok (Thailand) 1974 - Tehran (Iran) 1978 - Bangkok (Thailand) 1982 - New Delhi (India) 1986 - Seoul (South Korea) 1990 - Beijing (China) 1994 - Hiroshima (Japan) 1998 - Bangkok (Thailand) 2002 - Busan (South Korea) 2006 - Doha (Qatar) 2010 - Guangzhou (China) 2014 -...

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Winter Olympics Host Cities

The Winter Olympics started for the sporting events that can be practiced only in the respective geographical conditions. The list of host cities of Winter Olympic Games is given below. Year, City and Country1924 - Chamonix (France) 1928 - St. Moritz (Switzerland) 1932 - Lake Placid, New York (USA) 1936 - Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany) 1948 - St. Moritz (Switzerland) 1952 - Oslo (Norway) 1956 - Cortina d'Ampezzo (Italy) 1960 - Squaw Valley, California (USA) 1964 - Innsbruck (Austria) 1968 - Grenoble (France) 1972 - Sapporo (Japan) 1976 - Innsbruck (Austria) 1980 - Lake Placid, New York (USA) 1984...

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Olympic Games host cities

The Olympics is the world's largest multisports event. Its history traces to the ancient Olympic games started BC 776 in Greece. The modern Olympics was started in 1896. Here is given the list of hosts of the modern Olympic Games till date. Year, City and Country1896 – Athens (Greece) 1900 – Paris (France) 1904 – Saint Louis (USA) 1908 – London (Britain) 1912 – Stockholm (Sweden) 1920 – Antwerp (Belgium) 1924 – Paris (France) 1928 – Amsterdam (Netherlands) 1932 – Los Angeles (USA) 1936 – Berlin (Germany) 1948 – London (Britain) 1952 – Helsinki (Finland) 1956 – Melbourne (Australia) 1960 – Rome...

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Geographical Sobriquets / Nicknames

Many places are nicknamed owing to something special to that place. Here is the list of sobriquets/nicknames of various places across the globe. Nickname : Place Holy City : Jerusalem Forbidden City : Lhasa Dark Continent : Africa Gift of Nile : Egypt City of the Golden Temple : Amritsar City of Palaces : Kolkata Cockpit of Europe : Belgium Blue Mountains : Nilgiri Hills City of Magnificent Distances : Washington Granite City : Aberdeen Herring Pond : Atlantic Ocean Land of the Kangaroo : Australia Land of Maple Leaf : Canada Land of Cakes : Scotland Land of Golden Fleece : Australia Island...

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General Knowledge Quiz 1

Here are some General Knowledge questions and answers useful for competitions and examinations and of course, for a little fun ! Here we go ! Where can you find the Sea of Tranquility ? Who directed the famous film The Godfather ? By what name is the boundary line that separates India and China known as ? Who invented the pendulum clock ? What is Vexilology a study of ? Which animal has the shortest gestation period ? Which river is known as Sorrow of China ? What are the ingredients of Pancha Loha ? How is the International Bank for Re-construction and Development better known as ? Which...

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Man Booker Prize winners

The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is awarded to the best novel of the year written by a citizen of the British Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland. It is one of the most prestigious literature honors. Year, Person, Work, Country1969 P H Newby Something to Answer For UK 1970 Bernice Rubens The Elected Member UK 1971 V S Naipaul In a Free State UK/Trinidad and Tobago 1972 John Berger G UK 1973 J G Farrell The Siege of Krishnapur UK 1974 Nadine Gordimer The Conservationist South Africa Stanley Middleton Holiday UK 1975 Ruth Prawer Jhabwala Heat and Dust UK 1976 David Storey Saville UK 1977...

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Oscar Winning Movies

Year Film Director 1928 Wings William A Wellman 1929 The Broadway Melody Harry Beaumont 1930 All Quiet on the Western Front Lewis Milestone 1931 Cimarron Wesley Ruggles 1932 Grand Hotel Edmund Goulding 1933 Cavalcade Frank Lloyd 1934 It Happened One Night Frank Capra 1935 Mutiny on the Bounty Frank Lloyd 1936 The Great Ziegfeld Robert Z Leonard 1937 The Life of Emile Zola William Dieterle 1938 You Can't Take It With You Frank Capra 1939 Gone With The Wind Victor Fleming 1940 Rebecca Alfred Hitchcock 1941 How Green Was My Valley John Ford 1942 Mrs. Miniver William...

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