Friends 34: The Contest Page: Congratulations to the five winners
First position goes to Artiof My Yatra Diary
Second position goes to DS of Cricket Wise
Third position goes to Santosh BS of Huchchara Santhe
The lucky winners are
Pramod Lohia of Marriage Book and My musings
The excel sheet of the scores can be downloaded from here: http://www.mediafire.com/?946uowr42hmze20
Post only your answers as replies. Do not post anything irrelavant. Read this thread completely before making any replies. You may use the thread here for general discussions. (Ignore rule. You are now free to post main replies to this thread)
'Friends 34' as the name implies is a contest to inculcate a feeling of friendship among the IndiBloggers using the power of contests, being organised by A light hearted talk. The contest is designed in such a way that both speed and logical reasoning are required to emerge as the final winner. In order to avoid a rat's race, a few parts of the contest offer points to every participant of the contest, how much ever late they may be provided that they have provided a satisfactory answer.. In all other cases, the first person to answer the question correctly is credited with points.
The contest spreads over a period of 34 days during which sets of questions will be asked at regular intervals, each set revolving around a particular theme. The questions may fall into any one of these categories: quiz, opinion, puzzle, logical interpretation or fun based questions. Each question carried a fixed number of points. The procedure of allotment of points to a particular question will be specified along with the question. The contestants who accumulate the maximum number of points towards the end of the contest will be declared as the winners.
Organiser
The contest is being organised by myself (Ranjith) of A light hearted talk
Prizes and Sponsorers
The first three winners will receive a copy each of the story book 'I'm not twenty four..... I've been nineteen for five years' written by Sachin Garg. The author is a member of the IndiBlogger community and he himself is sponsoring the book.
The first winner in addition to the book mentioned above will be presented with the following:
- Ad space on A light hearted talk and on Mayur's blog
- Virtual certificate of appreciation
- A chance to show his/her best blog posts to the IndiBloggers
How to participate
This thread is the main contest page of 'Friends 34'. Questions would be posted as replies along with necessary instructions. You answer must be given as a sub reply. (a reply to the reply). You can comment about individual questions by posting it as a sub reply to the question. Do not post any main replies. If done so, you will be penalised with a reduction of your score.
Reason: update
All the best ANNA of Indiblogger for your contest
Thanks but please do not reply here. Use the other thread for discussion.
-- No more replies to be made to this main reply ---
Question Set 1
Theme: General
Instructions for the questions have been stated along with the questions. You may post your comments about this Question Set as a reply to this reply (sub reply and not a main reply)
Question1:
Unscramble the sentence below:
isthteonsctsiibgnengroasideybahigtlteeardhkaltnodniierolggb
This is how the scrambling has been done:
Consider the sentence : This is a sample
Each of the word has been scrambled: isth si a mpelas
The spaces have been removed: isthsiampelas
Instructions:
The first person who answers this question correctly will be credited with 50 points. Give your answer as a reply to this reply (sub reply) You are allowed to comment on this question by posting it as a reply to this reply (sub reply)
@ DS That's great. I realise now that I ahven't jumbled it prroperly. :-) Congrats. 50 points have been credited to you.
@ DS Try the other one: Question No 4. That is too hard to decipher, if not for you atleast for others. :-)
@ Arti No, there another encryption technique is used. You need to find out what the encryption tenchnique is. That is why I have said that Q No 4 is difficult.
Question 2:
Explain friendship in exactly 34 charcters. Spaces and punctuation marks do not increment the charcter count. Only alphabets and numerals do so. Numerals if used have to be witten in words and not as digits.
If no short forms and SMS lingo is used, you will be credited with 100 points.
If any of the above rule is not followed, (trying to fix the character count at 34 by using SMS lingo, non standard abbreviations etc) you will be credited with 23 points.
- Question by A light hearted talk
Instructions:
Each person can answer only once.
Closing date of this question: 25th September.
The number of points you earn depend on your answer.
Give your answer as a reply to this reply (sub reply) You are allowed to comment on this question by posting it as a reply to this reply (sub reply)
I was amazed at seeing how three people have managed to give the answer on the first day itself. But unfortunately only Animesh ahs answered it correctly. @ Pramod and @ Arti Your answer should contain exactly 34 charcters.
@ Animesh That's excellent. It looked more as a riddle than as a sentence or an answer. But that was a good one. Truly speaking a friend reduces the pain to zero and takes joy to infinite levels. :-)
LOL you don't expect a sentence of 34 characters which also contains answer to such a complicated question hehe
@ Pramod That wasa wonderful quote unfotunately not satisfying the requirement of limiting to 34 charcaters. But I can't deny the truth in your sentence and I too wish to find one such person. If teh number of people who can answer this question turns out to be quite low, other answers will also be taken into consideration.
@ Arti An age old saying which I still can't believe to be true. The word 'true' or 'everlasting' before friendship would ahve made it more meaningful. Your character count is 32 and not 34. : and ) do not count as charcters as pointed out in the rules.
A bond made of trust, love, care & endurance
A friend is there when no a soul is looking.
@ DS That was a wonderful quote. But at times two different persons differing a lot in their character may become good friends... and everlasting friends too...
@ Kristy Kumari Don't you think that it should be 'not a soul' and not 'no a soul'?
@ Arti Yes Nothing (including rules) can win over the smile described by you. And that was the thing which always connected me with my friends.
@ Arti Hope that you win the title of 'The best debater' from many more IndiBloggers. (my trademark smile )
@DS was just bragging a bit to gain some extra points and scare off my fellow competitors
Evaluation:
@ Animesh Credited with 70 points The answer looked more like a riddle than a statement
Evaluation:
@ Pramod Credited with 40 points. Your answer had completely ignored the rule but still the answer was good.
Evaluation:
@ Arti Credited with 100 points. Though the rule was violated, you have given a satisafctory explanation
Evaluation:
@ DS Credited with 100 points Very good asnwer that had followed the rules
Evaluation:
@ CAT Mentor 70 points in your account.
Reason: Used a special character
Question 3:
Answer this question:
What black hat SEO technique is being depicted here?
Ignore the above question. This is the new Question No 3:
What is hidden text and why using hidden text accounts to a black hat seo technique?
Instructions:
Everyone can answer this question. The three best answers will be credited with 50 points each.
Closing date for this question: 7th August
Give your answer as a reply to this reply (sub reply) You are allowed to comment on this question by posting it as a reply to this reply (sub reply)
Hidden texts are texts which are put in such a way on the website that they are either unreadable or invisible to the user. The purpose is mainly to fool search engines by creating keyword rich texts which are unreadable by human but are readable by searcg-engines. It is mostly done by setting the font color to the background color.
Since this is hidden from users and an attempt to attract search-engines only, it is considered as search-engine manipulation and is a black hat SEO technque.
@ Animesh That was a good answer. And that I what I have tried to do. I have set the font colour of "What black hat SEO technique is being depicted here?" to white. Unfortunately, it looks as if IndiBlogger Forum doesn't like hidden texts. The formatting has been automatically removed. All the best.
Text in a website or blog where author purposefully uses same text color & background color in a page is called as hidden text. In such pages though the text is present but it is not visible to the user and is used just to mislead the automated systems used by Search Engines.
It is a black hat SEO technique because of following reasons:
- The hidden text is added just to mislead the automated system (read web crawlers) used by Search Engines so that the particular page is ranked higher in search results.
- User experience in such cases is generally not good as pages with poor content gets ranked higher when compared with pages with genuine content.
-Hidden text is against the norms of search engines & is unethical. Once identified Search engines blacklists such sites for using dishonest means.
Question 4:
Decrypt the following:
yjod od s lrunpstf nsdrf rmvtuqyopm yrvjmowir
Instructions:
The first person to answer this question correctly will be credited with 50 points.
Give your answer as a reply to this reply (sub reply) You are allowed to comment on this question by posting it as a reply to this reply (sub reply)
The encryption was done as follows:
Every letter was replaced by the letter on the which is to teh right of it on the keyboard.
For example. Look at the first few charcters on your key board. They are Q W E R T Y which are replaced by W E R T Y U and the last letter P is replaced by Q.
So, I was able to keep you busy for an hour. I have asked many of my friends to try it. Many of them gave up after trying for some five or ten minutes. You really have a lot of patience.
I wish to see those scribblings in your diary.
Question 5:
Question by Sachin Garg, author of 'I'm not twenty four..... I've been nineteen for five years'
1. Do people want to read books which are about their own life or books about foreign worlds they have never seen?
I am asking this because my book (I'm not twenty four..) was about a foreign land which no one had ever heard of. But my next book is a story which everyone will stand up and say 'this is so me'. If you can incorporate this explanation as well, then it will be great.
2. Do you get a clear answer in your head when someone mentions 'First Love?'
I dont know if this question fits your criteria. But I am asking this question because my upcoming book is called 'It's First Love.. Just like the last one!'
If it doesnt, let me know. I will think of somehting else.
Instructions:
Answer both these questions to be credited with 30 points. For each of your answer you can get a maximum of 15 points.
Question end date: September 9th
Give your answer as a reply to this reply (sub reply) You are allowed to comment on this question by posting it as a reply to this reply (sub reply)
1. People prefer books which are about their own life or somewhere relate to it.
2. Yes, I do get a very clear picture / answer in my mind the moment I hear these words: First love. For me, the title is superb, first love is always the last love, rest all is just affection or attachment.
1. People who have struggled a lot in their lives and have seen lots of ups & down would prefer to read books about their own life. The reason being they find such stories close to their heart & refreshes old memories. Whereas people who had a monotonus life throughout and didn't had to struggle at all in their lives would prefer to read books about foreign worlds. The reason being they find their life too dull & boring.I would prefer to read books which is close to my own life. I believe majority of book readers would love to read books about their own life.2. Yeah, first love gives me clear answer. Though people argue that first love is special but I have always felt that so are the other one's too :). If you love someone you would experience the same delight while you look into their eyes & hear their sweet voice, be it the first love or second one or the last one. Its a serene feeling which sits deep in one's heart forever & just a thought of those cherished memories brings smiles to one's face.
1. I prefer books about other worlds/lives. I like to learn new things and get new ideas and sometimes compare them to my own life to find room for improvement or a realization as to how my life works better for me.
2. When thinking of first love I get the impression of infatuation. Your first time falling you don't know what real love is and you're set to explore and try to figure it all out and you find out that things are not always as they seem or as you wanted. Infatuation wears off and reality sets in and that is where true love is found.
1. Actually both of them at relative stages in life. People growing up like reading about foreign worlds and things like that and as they grow and reflect upon their past, they would prefer reading books that depicts more of themselves and their life!
2. Absolutely, there would be nobody with a 'no' for this question (irony is that would refer to some person in most of the cases ;))
Evaluation:
All four of you have been credited with 30 points each
Question Set 2
Theme: Friendship and Life
You can read a number of posts that deal with friendship and life on the blog A light hearted talk
Each of the questions in this set carry a maximum of 30 points and can be answered till 25th Sepember.
Question 1:
Friend or Friends?
Which side do you take? I mean to ask if you support the view that a person can never have more than one real friend or is it the other way. Justify your choice.
Instructions:
Question carries a maximum of 30 points. Everyone (not just the first person) will receive credits for his/her answer. This question can be answered till the 25th of September.
You can have more than one close friend. Our friends can be divided out as to who we trust with what. For example, I have 3 best friends. One understand several aspects of my life quite well. The second I can talk to completely free of judgment on mistakes we make and relationships andl life. The third has some uncanny way of always saying the right thing, even if she has no idea I have a problem. I would trust all three with my life and they too feel they can turn to me for anything.
you can have as many close friends as you want...but one thing is for sure the rapport that u share with each one of them would be unique and that magic can never be recreated with any one else
@ Kristy That was a very good answer. Frieds was your answer but still your answer is 'friend' for each purpose :-)
@ DS Even now, I live ina hostel but still I wonder how people manage to make friends with a lot of people. I feel as if the number of friends that God has kept aside for me is just 1 or 2.
@ Chitra From the answers given by you and Kristy I think one can conclude that though one may have a number of friends, each friend and different and chossing one of tehm and calling him/ her as the only friend is a difficult thing.
Hmmm… I am neutral on this one. A person can definitely have more than one real friend in life; but having said that he can also have only one or even none. Basically, the number of real friends can vary differently for different people. We come to know of a real friend only in trying times and the ensuing results for a ‘real friend’ thereafter, is highly variable... something that keeps on changing and surely can never be affixed.
When I think of a close friend I get the picture of a person with whom I would be able to share each and every thought of mine without any inhibitions. A SOULMATE.
If you want your friend to be a soulmate, a person with whom you would share anything and everything, then having only one close friend would be the right choice. when you tend to have more than one person for a close friend, you would have to think about things that shall be and shall not be shared.
You may have a lot of friends, but can have only one close friend.
@ DS Yes, every new stage of life brings to one a new array of friends but still the ones that stay with us for ever are very few.
Evaluation:
@ Kristy Credited with 30 points
Raeson: Justification with real life example
Evaluation:
@ Chitra 13 points Did not answer the actual question
Evaluation:
@ Arti 27 points Given an overall idea from the viewpoint of the world but teh question asked about your particular opinion
Evaluation:
@ Menaa 30 points Highly innovative though which one must have most probably never heard till date
@ Arti A good one too...
I have a dream of taking a class for my seniors. :-) Hope your words come true.
Instructions:
Question carries a maximum of 30 points. Everyone (not just the first person) will receive credits for his/her answer. This question can be answered till the 25th of September.
1. Never open your mouth before thinking because you will only make yourself look stupid, even if you're right.
2. Just go with it. If you always let life's opportunities pass you by you will never get anywhere. Within reason, don't be afraid to take chances and put yourself out there because it's the only way you will ever truly be great. That being said, you only need to be great to one person to make the difference in life that you crave, everyone after that is a bonus!
1) your parents are your god...live your life for them...
2) Never lose your self respect for anyone whos not worthy of it.
3)Stand up for what is right no matter how difficult the struggle is going to be
4)Never bow down if u arent wrong...no matter what u have to lose stand up for urself
Be true to yourself, be true to life :)
@ Kristy The first and second points stated are very closely realted. One has to grab all available opportunities as well as think for a while before running behind those opportunities. Your answer reminds me of the topic given at one of the events that I took part in: Why does slow and steady wiin the race when time and tide waits for none.
@ Chitra From your answers, I think that you have never done anything in your life which you thought was wrong. A great life indeed!
@ Santosh Thought very short, it does give the meaning of life- being ourselves and not cheating ourselves by doing things that might make have a negative impact on our mental health eventually turning a happy life into a sorrowful one.
Start every morning with a clean slate, set out to experience new things, observe and meet new people, learn from them because every moment in life is a new moment, waiting with something new…Though life is a continuous learning experience and we keep incorporating them in our behavior naturally as we move forward but this is one basic lesson that has just stuck on...
@ Ds That's true. Life is something where one continues to learn something new every second, even during the time of his death.
@ Arti The knowledge passed on (in italics) is worth a million dollars. Starting a new life everyday is also a means to forget the pain experienced till then.
@ kristy
don't be afraid to take chances
I need to learn that lesson atleast now, or I will never get anywhere.
Evaluation:
@ Kristy @ Chitra 30 points each had to give you the entire points atleast for the pain taken to explain things. Also, the views were clearly explained.
Evaluation:
@ Santosh 27 points I think that life should have taught you much more than waht has been confessed here.
Evaluation:
@ DS 30 points
@ Arti 30 points for your wonderful quote
Instructions:
Question carries a maximum of 30 points. Everyone (not just the first person) will receive credits for his/her answer. This question can be answered till the 25th of September.
Without friends life is truly lonely. One can turn to a friend when you cannot turn to family. Plus, friends help you hide the bodies. ;)
for me my friends matter the most..they are almost family to me..they are like a pillow which i can cuddle up to when am sad and happy...my friends are there for me at any time and they turn up anywhere anytime wheneevr i need them the most....
God chooses parents, you choose your friends. What's life without them :)
Without them, living life would be like eating bread without butter ;)
With their unique character, friends make my life a blissful journey.
@ Kristy That''s true. There are a lot of things which we feel comfortable sharing with friends rather than our family.
@ Chitra Wishing you a happy life in the warmth of your friends.
@ Santosh A life without friends is definitely an empty one and when we have the chance of choosing them at any time, why should one remain without friends?
@ Arti Hope taht you friends remain with you till the end of the yatra.
@ DS Wonderful! I too feel like escaping those classes wherin the professors themselves can't undearstnd what they teach.
@Ranjith Hope taht you friends remain with you till the end of the yatra
Amen to that
Evaluation:
@ Kristy @ Chitra @Santosh @Arti @DS 30 to all of you for realising the importance of your friends
Question 4:
What is the thing that you have done (in relation to your friend) which you regret the most?
Instructions:
Question carries a maximum of 30 points. Everyone (not just the first person) will receive credits for his/her answer. This question can be answered till the 25th of September.
Strange! No one has answered this one! Well, nothing’s coming to my mind too :P Seems like all of us here have proved to be very good friends
Some moments, some days when you shout at them which I still regret doing...
@ Santosh Those few moments do help us in strengthening the friendship. When one apologizes after that small fight, the happiness that one can see in the others face can't be described in plain words.
@Ranjith, Arti is getting free points here... hmmm
Instructions:
Question carries a maximum of 30 points. Everyone (not just the first person) will receive credits for his/her answer. This question can be answered till the 25th of September.
the dictionary acronym would be " Few relations in Earth never Die", but the real acronmy would be LIFE!
Faithful RefreshingInspiringEncouragingNon-judgmentalDelighting
F --------
R --------
I -> Inexpressible
E --------
N --------
D --------
@ Santosh Life has nothing left to enjoy in the absence of those friends.
@ CAT Mentor Sounds good. Is they any reason for not leaving spaces between words?
Question 6:
Recollect an incident with your friend which you consider to the most memorable and happy one?
Instructions:
Question carries a maximum of 30 points. Everyone (not just the first person) will receive credits for his/her answer. This question can be answered till the 25th of September.
My best friend and I used to go on all day bargain hunting extravaganzas. We would leave our house, stop for breakfast and then hit the outlet mall. Around lunch time we would break for lunch at a local favorite restaurant and eat until we were sure we wouldn't be able to walk. Then we we go back to the outlet mall and shop some more. On the way home we would pick up dinner and recount who found the most awesome bargains of the day.
Bunking the lecture and hanging out with my best friend at bandstand and discussing about life...i miss that even now...
Passing comments on professors in the middle of lectures, right under their noses while sitting on first bench and giggling our hearts out!
@ Chitra I just can't undersatnd how two such extreme things happened at once: bunking class and discussing about life!
@ Arti I know how you both were able to do it. The professors look straight and never look downwards and so both you had escaped from teh professors eyes. I know one person who has slept right in the first bench without the professor noticing him.
@ DS I know that! You were sharing your joy on Inditalk a few months back. That was most probably the first time I was on Indichat
Evaluation:
@ Kristy Hope that you don't bargain here and ask to give less points:-) 30 points
Evaluation:
@ Chitra @DS @Arti 30 points for each of you for enjoying those beautiful moments
Instructions:
Question carries a maximum of 30 points. Everyone (not just the first person) will receive credits for his/her answer. This question can be answered till the 25th of September.
Everlasting friendship can weather the storms that are sure to come in life. True friendship becomes everlasting when both parties give freely of themselves with nothing expected or received in return other than the friendship and gratitude that were already there. Friends can go a time without speaking due to any circumstance and always come right back as if they never left each other's side.
Everlastin friendship according to me is something which doesnt need explanations after a fight,they forgive and forget and they know deep inside whatever the matter be,my friend would always be there for me. Everlasting friendship for me is something which is even after 3-4 years if i meet my old friend no matter where we have reached in our career and lives,we must be able to connect in the same way like we used to
Everlasting friendship would be everlasting till the friends remain friends :)
Everlasting friendship is when the boundaries between YOU and ME obliterate and what remains is a single WE, for ever and ever
@ kristy Yes! That's true. True friends may quarrel with each other and don't talk with each other for many days. But still one day, they are sure to return to normalcy. That is what is everlasting friendship.
@ Chitra They don't need explanations. A look into teh other's eyes can reveal everything!
@ Arti Yes, when the boundaries are non existent, there is no question of parting ways and the friendship is bound to be everlasting.
@ DS True friendship has no restrictions on time too....
But I wonder when you and your friends sleep...
@ DS A few professors really deserve to be appointed as care takers of small children. They can put those children to sleep within minutes.
Evaluation:
@ Kristy @ Chitra 30 for both of you Good explanation
Evaluation:
@ Santosh 17 points I think taht doesn't answer the question
Evaluation:
@ Arti 30 points Small and simple but still had a lot of meaning in it
Evaluation:
@ DS 27 points I think that would be more suitable for true friendship tahn for everlasting friendship though true friendship is waht gradually turns out to eb evrlasting friendhsip
my statement is simple, but it has a lot hidden in it, influenced by some real incidents and some experiences
@ Arti That was great of you to have calculated your score manually. I am using an excel sheet to be faster than you.
Question Set 3
Theme: Blogging Quiz
Instructions for the questions are stated along with the questions. These questions can be answered till the last date of the contest. Your opinion about this theme and the questions asked, in general can be voiced as a reply to this reply. ( subreply)
Question 1:
Name any one blogging platform that you are aware of and provide a link to them. Every participant can give an answer but you cannot repeat any blogging platform already stated by another person. So speed does matter!
Instructions:
Answering this question correctly will earn you 10 points. Question end date: end date of contest. Give your answer as a reply to this reply i.e a sub reply.
blogger.com
Name: http://wordpress.com
Link: http://wordpress.com/
Magnetize- magnt
@ DS That is an aesy thing! Just type http://flickr.com and its done!
@ Arti Visited the link. It looks like a website craeting tool and not a blogging platform. What do you say?
@ DS
Flickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community created by Ludicorp in 2004 and later acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to host images that they embed in blogs and social media.[2] Yahoo has reported that Flickr has a total of 51 million registered member and 80 million unique visitors
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flickr
Flickr is used by bloggers for image hosting and is not a blogging platform.
@ DS OK Since blogging is primarily about sharing views and the same can be done through pictures, your answer is accepted
@ DS I don't think that I would be alive if I wouldn't have accepted your answer
Instructions:
The first person to answer this question correctly will be credited with 10 points.Give your answer as a reply to this reply i.e a sub reply.
2003
Question 3:
What are meta tags and how can one use them effectively?
Instructions:
Everyone can answer this question till the end date of the contest. Every person to answer this question will be credited with a maximum of 20 points. Give your answer as a reply to this reply i.e a sub reply.
Meta Tags are used to describe & structure the meta data in a HTML web page. Meta data inside each of meta tag is used to describe the details such as :
-Brief details about the webpage
-Author of the webpage
-Popular keywords associated with the content of webpage
-Type of coding & language used on webpage
-Last modified date-Server info
The meta data inside meta tags is never shown on the page to users but it is understtod by machines & applications by simply reading the meta tags (just like the way other html tags are interpreted by machines)
Meta tags for this particular Friends 34 post could be:
<meta name="description" content="Friends 34 Contest Page on indiblogger.in" />
<meta name="keywords" content="Friends,34,Contest,Page, " />
<meta name="author" content="Ranjith" />
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" />
<meta name="date modified" content="04 Sept 2011" />
Question 4:
Name one feature that is present in blogger but not on wordpress.
Instructions:
Every person who gives a correct answer will be credited with 10 points. Do not give more than one feature. Repetitions are not allowed. Give your answer as a reply to this reply i.e a sub reply.
Editing pages feature?
@ Santosh BS Even I am not sure about them. I need to check them. Thanks for your participation and all the best.
Creation of only one Blog per User is allowed in WordPress whereas in Blogger one can create any number of blogs with the same user.
@ DS Stats page is present in Wordpress too! I remember seeing it some two or three yaers ago. Have any changes been made?
Evaluation:
@ Santosh I don't think that the answer given is correct. What do the others say?
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