22nd floor: It happened

I got this mail from Saint, who actually asks, "did the meeting happen or was it an April first joke?"

Coverage about it happening is here. As for my 2 bits is concerned, Amit, Pangalactic quiz blaster, Milo etc., NU and Aniruddha attended. Prostetnic Vogon and the Saint promised that they will, but didn't. Gaurav had to drop out to attend to pressing things like packing for Lucknow while Abhijit was caught up at work. I am talking about the first quiz-meet of the Bombay Quiz Club.

Three of us (Mino, NU and I) landed up at Tea Center at 12:45 for the 12:30 which by quizzing standards is dot on time. Soon, we realised that we didn't tell anyone how we looked or how they could have spotted us. Instantly, we realised again that it doesn't matter as nobody else had laptops and notebooks open, in true geek repose.

By the time, everyone turned up, it was 1:15 and we had a good two-hour long quiz session. Fifty questions were asked and a great number were answered. Much ice tea, muffins, sandwiches and other assorted items was consumed.

However, the best part was when we agreed that we will meet again on April 29 for the quiz. More people are likely to attend. Amit will get in touch with a few of his friends to get us a classroom soon. Incidentally, we are also planning to visit Pune in April 22 for an open quiz that is being held there. "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful ..."

Six of my dry questions are here:
1) Films starring Shah Rukh Khan has got nominated for the Oscars three times – Paheli, Devdas and _________. ______ also had Naseeruddin Shah in a small but pivotal role and marked the debut of Atul Kulkarni in a role originally written for Mohan Gokhale, who died before the shooting of the movie. What?

2) The original, hitting the market in 1964, was similar in size to existing competition, had a much increased articulation range. Rising oil prices in 1977 made the producers reduce the size by one-third, which did not fly with the customers. Hence, in 1978, the production stopped completely. However, in 1984-85, after the success of Star Wars, the production started again in an even smaller version (one-third the original). This however was a great success. What is this?

3) The first word in its technical name is taken from Greek, and literally means "passing through", or "siphon“. This was coined by Aretaeus (81–133 CE) of Cappadocia. Thomas Willis in 1675, added mellitus to the name (Greek mel, "honey", sense "honey sweet"). Chinese tested for this by observing ants, while Europeans in the Middle Ages tasted it (not this) themselves. What are we talking about?

4) King Charles II of England had a large loan with X's father, after whose death, King Charles settled by granting X a large area on March 4, 1681. X called the area Y (Latin for woods), which Charles changed to Z in honor of the elder X. X had hoped that Z would be a profitable venture for himself and his family. X marketed the colony throughout Europe in various languages and, as a result, settlers flocked to Z. Despite Z's rapid growth and diversity, the colony never turned a profit for X or his family. In fact, X would later be imprisoned in England for debt and, at the time of his death in 1718, he was penniless. Identify X, Y and Z.

5) Whose achievements are we talking about?
Kataran Medal of Courage (Kataran is country located between Libya and the Sultanate of Bhotai); Honorary 1996 Olympic U.S. Pole Vaulting Team Member; Cyrenian Order of Merit; Honorary Member of the University of Kentucky Geology Department; Jump Certificate (skydiving) from Montana; Two years of German at High School; High School Baseball Team; Black Belt in Karate

6) What are there a type of?
Sizzling Sally
Old Smokie in New Jersey
Old Sparky in Florida, Texas, New York, Louisiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, and Georgia
Yellow Mama in Alabama
Gruesome Gertie in Louisiana

Mail me your answers at