Monthly Archives: January 2011

Structural Formula for Greatness: Dr. Aziz.

For the first time in the Contributor Corner, we are welcoming a wonderful contributor from Pakistan – Dr. Aziz! A Category Supervisor of Organic Chemistry and Nuclear Physics, Vandal Patrol Generalist and Silver Contributor, Dr. Aziz is quickly approaching 20,000 total contributions and has earned 244 Trust Points answering questions such as “What happens when dilute acids react with chemically active metals?” and “What is the structural formula for 4-nonyne?“

Here’s more from our resident expert on dilute acids and 4-nonyne (Wow!):

What is your Answers.com user name and the history behind it?

Dr. Aziz is my user as well as real name.

What is your age?

53

Would you care to tell us about your family?

I have a wife, a son and his wife, a daughter her husband and her daughter, two unmarried sons.

Do you have any pets?

I have a parrot and fishes in an aquarium.

Where do you live, how long have you lived there and why do you like the area?

I live in Karachi Pakistan and have since 1965. I don’t like the area, but I have no other option.

Where did you grow up and do you have any special memories of your childhood?

I spent my childhood in Abbottabad, a very nice place in Northern Pakistan. My memories include swimming in a cold river, climbing on mountains, and collecting different types of stones.

What educational information would you like to share?

Ph.D organic chemistry

What are some of your past or present occupations?

Past and present: teaching (and I love it!).

What are your key areas of knowledge, interest or expertise?

Organic chemistry and nuclear physics

Do you have any collections or hobbies?

Poetry – I am an Urdu poet.

What are a few random facts about yourself?

I love teaching chemistry. I suffer from some financial problems due to increasing my education

What accomplishments are you proud of?

Many of my students achieved first position in Karachi board F.Sc.

What are your special goals or dreams?

To overcome my financial problems and devote most of my time to Answers.com.

How would you describe yourself or personality?

A self-made person, cooled minded, lover of family members, birds, fishes and all of nature.

What brought you to Answers.com?

I was searching for an answer.

What is your favorite Answers.com activity?

Answering questions and putting them in the proper categories.

Do you want to be interviewed for the Contributor corner? Just leave a comment below and we’ll get to work.

Cold where you are? Consider 500 other places…

Last time we announced our publication of Frommer’s Guide to 500 Extraordinary Islands. This time, we’re thrilled to add more destinations for you to consider when planning your next getaway, all covered with the customary Frommer’s expertise and readability.

500 Places to See Before They Disappear

500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up

500 Places Where You Can Make a Difference

500 Places for Food and Wine Lovers

500 Adrenaline Adventures

And if those places are too close to home, consider The Universal Book of Astronomy: “Covering everything from major observatories and space telescopes to biographies of astronomers throughout the ages, it showcases an extraordinary array of newfound wonders, including microquasars, brown dwarfs, and dark energy, as well as a host of individual comets, asteroids, moons, planets, stars, nebulas, and galaxies.”

We also have a gorgeous and super-informative Visual Food Guide, which will teach you how to best buy, prepare, serve and store foods, with nutritional info and lovely illustrations thrown in for good measure. See leek, tofu, or foie gras.

And for those who need to know what’s inside, we are pleased to offer an Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics, which reveals the chemical composition, uses, toxicology and pharmacology of items like jojoba, jasmine and Job’s tears.

We aim to answer. Happy reading.

Aiming to be a Wiki Legend: C3Shooter.

When sent the Contributor Corner interview form, C3Shooter cheerily remarked: “Good Heavens! I got a mortgage with less information! (just kidding!)” This is just one of the many reasons we love having this retired Army shooter, wiki-fanatic extraordinaire in the Answers.com community. He brings a fresh blend of humor, intelligence and worldly knowledge to the site.

Here’s more:

What is your Answers.com user name and the history behind it?

C3Shooter, which is two fold: I shoot Class III firearms (machine guns), and I am retired Army (Command, Control, Communicate and I am a shooter).

Are you a Floating or Category Super?

I’m a Category Super over on Firearms, but I wander over to Workplace Health and Safety now and again.

What other badges have you landed?

Badges? Badges? WE DON’T NEED NO STINKING BADGES!!! (sorry, reflex there. Have not looked at badges lately – not sure what is in there).

What is your first name?

Curt. And you are………….?

What is your age?

Well, in dog years, I’m over 400 (Shady side of 60).

Would you care to tell us about your family?

I’ve been married since forever to a lady from Devon, England. We have 4 kids and 7 grandkids. Grandkids are the reward for not killing your teenagers.

Do you have any pets?

No, they think THEY own the house, and I am staff. Two cats – Lola and Breeze.

Where do you live and why do you like the area?

I’m a native of Virginia – lived many places with the military, settled down back in Virginia. Decent weather MOST days, mountains on one side, ocean on the other.

Where did you grow up and do you have any special memories of your childhood?

I grew up in the country in Virginia. Memories of hunting, fishing and swimming in the river.

What is your educational background?

I have a few degrees and certifications from different places. Graduate, US Army Command & General Staff College.

What are some of your past or present occupations?

Retired US Army, retired, law enforcement, work in field of occupational safety. Explosives engineer.

What are your areas of expertise or interest?

Primarily firearms and ammunition. Grew up as a shooter, been a collector for 40 years. I am interested in the history of weapons – how a weapon or the company that made it came to be.

What do you like to do for recreation?

Shooter (with my grandkids) fisherman, hiking the Appalachian Trail, camping, cooking.

What are some random facts about yourself?

Chocolate. Just bring chocolate, and no one gets hurt.

Do you have any special talents?

Hah! You have never tried my chili, have you?

What accomplishments are you proud of?

I’m most proud of our children and grandchildren (our two oldest grandsons worked their way through college).

Do you have any special dreams?

Well, there is this one dream where I am chasing giant marshmallows with graham crackers and chocolate bars………..

How did you happen upon Answers.com?

Accidentally – looking for information. Wound up answering a question instead, and stuck around.

What keeps you hanging around?

A few things – folks looking for accurate information, especially the ones that say thank you. Many young people that are on their own voyage of looking for information.

What is your favorite activity?

Getting answers for people; although removing vandals is somewhat satisfying. People that deliberately mess things up for other people SHOULD be invited to leave if they are persistent – good manners go a long way in many things in life.

Do you want to be interviewed for the Contributor corner? Just leave a comment below and we’ll get to work.

Look out Vandals! Bringingthewood is bringing the heat.

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that I really thought this week’s Featured Contributor was a logging professional of some sort – possibly a lumberjack. If not that, maybe an arborist or a tree farmer. But nooooo. I was wrong on all counts. Completely wrong. You see, sitting in the Contributor Corner this week is none other than Bringingthewood (John) – and I’m not talking about firewood. I’m talking about sacking the daylights out of some vandals. Curious? Well read on and get to know the man behind this beefy user name!

What is your Answers.com user name and the history behind it?

Bringingthewood is my user name. I’m a big fan of Steelers’ linebacker LaMarr Woodley. When he was in college the announcers would say he was “bringing the wood” when he sacked a quarterback. I liked it, so I figured I could bring the wood to Answers.com.

Are you a Floating or Category Supervisor?

I’m a Category Supervisor overseeing Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Yankees and all of NASCAR

What other badges do you hold or programs are you involved with on Answers.com?

Mentor, Wikiguide, Wikireviewer (Copy Editor) and Vandal Patrol (Generalist).

What is your age?

42

Would you care to tell us about your family?

I’m an only child. My father owns his own insurance agency, and my mom is the secretary and bookkeeper. It’s all in the family.

Do you have any pets?

I have two stray cats. They came in and never left. My parents have three cats which are also part of the family.

Where do you live, how long have you lived there and why do you like the area?

I live in the Bronx, New York. I have lived here my whole life. I have easy access to anything I need. I will never leave.

Where did you grow up and do you have any special memories of your childhood?

I grew up in the Bronx as a Yankees fan. I always went to Yankee Stadium with my parents. I still do today.

What educational information would you like to share?

I graduated high school and I attended St. John’s University.

What are your past and/or present occupations?

After college I went right into my family’s insurance business. I’ve been there over 20 years.

What are your key areas of knowledge, interest or expertise?

Expertise is a strong word. I believe I have knowledge in the categories I supervise. I can’t answer all of the questions, but I usually know the difference between right and wrong. I was interested from the very beginning. Seeing all the different categories, I figured I could really learn a lot here, and I did. I enjoy trying to keep the answers correct and the questions neat and legible. If I can name names, my mentors Jadeacres and Rudiful2 helped me out more than I could have imagined. James put me on the path and Rudy helped me stay on it.

Do you have any collections or hobbies?

Hunting and trapshooting

What do you like to do for recreation?

Hunting, trapshooting, going to Yankees games and NASCAR races

Do you have any special talents you’d like to share?

Like the song says, “I’m good at drinking beer”.

What accomplishments are you proud of?

My accomplishments are hobby related. In trapshooting, I shot multiple 100 straights over five different states, a 200 straight in singles and I’ve attained 27 yard handicap status. I have a game room in my house full of deer (bucks only!!), black bear, fox, antelope, coyote, etc. I figure if you do something, try to do it right.

What are your special goals or dreams?

My goal is to make enough money to retire early. My dream is to have my parents live long and healthy lives. They’re my true friends.

How would you describe yourself or personality?

I’m pretty much of a down-to-earth type of guy. I have a knack for making friends, even if I’m not looking for them. I guess that’s a good thing. I do have a quick temper when agitated. I don’t get along with people who are game players and have big egos.

What brought you to Answers.com?

One day I wanted to know who the Steelers Top 20 sack leaders were. I knew most of them, but not all.

What kept you coming back to Answers.com?

I received my answer, and I’m glad it was the right one. Then I started to look around the site and once I saw the Sports category, I was hooked. This is the best addiction anyone could have. I never dreamed I would get a call from Crystal to supervise a category, let alone I could choose a couple. I thought it was hoax at first. Now I’m glad I accepted.

What is your favorite Answers.com activity?

I would have to say the Vandal Patrol. I really enjoy trying to keep Answers.com vandal free. There are a lot of great people on this site, and I don’t like to see others try to ruin it for them.

Do you want to be interviewed for the Contributor corner? Just leave a comment below and we’ll get to work.

2011 & Beyond 11 Million Answers AnswerThon.

Was your New Year’s resolution for 2011 to win an AnswerThon? Well, now’s your chance!

Join us on January 22nd & 23rd to help surpass the 11 million answer milestone by competing in this contest. Let’s ring in the new decade, not with a fizzle, but with a BANG!

To be crowned champion, you must answer the most questions during the 2-day period.

We have a new registration process for the AnswerThon this time. In order for your answers to be counted and to be eligible for prizes you must sign up for the contest.

The prizes are as follows:

  • One FIRST PLACE winner will receive a $500 Amazon.com gift card.
  • Two SECOND PLACE winners will each receive a $300 Amazon.com gift card.
  • Three THIRD PLACE winners will each receive a $150 Amazon.com gift card.
  • Five FOURTH PLACE winners will each receive a $50 Amazon.com gift card.
  • Twenty RUNNERS UP will receive Answers.com merchandise.

Please read the rules carefully before signing up and participating.

We wish everyone the best of luck!

blufr’s Facebook app: no better way to procrastinate.

Played blufr on the web? Played blufr on the iPhone or iPod Touch? It’s time to play blufr directly on Facebook.

I know, I’m being a bit of an enabler here. There are so many ways to procrastinate your work, why add one more? Because it’s directly on Facebook, where you’re already hanging out anyway (let’s  face it).

So, if you’re wondering whether it’s true or false that eggplant comes in different colors… There’s one more place to go to play and find out.

Go the blufr application page on Facebook and click ‘Get application’ below the profile picture. Get even more hooked by inviting friends to join, right from the first screen. Apologies in advance for all the work you won’t get done…

AnandVijayakumar a Wiki Fanatic and More.

This week we are joined by a dedicated Category Supervisor, Platinum Contributor and 3rd place winner in the AnswerThon event that happened way back in April 2009 – AnandVijayakumar. Anand tells us that he started supervising the Banking category at the recommendation of Ken (KSMail) and after that picked up some other categories including Investment Banking, Indian Premier League, some computer programming related stuff and also some categories related to his native state in India – Tamil Nadu. Please take a few minutes to learn more about fellow wiki fanatic, AnandVijayakumar.

What is your Answers.com user name and the history behind it?

AnandVijayakumar – This is my user name. This is just my full name – first and last name put together.

Would you care to tell us about your family?

There are four members in my family – a dad who is retired and a mom who is a home maker. I have a brother who is a body builder.

Do you have any pets?

Yes I do. I have a Great Dane named Shadow. He is 10 months old.

Where do you live, how long have you lived there and why do you like the area?

I was born and brought up in a city called Chennai which is the capital of the state Tamil Nadu in southern India. I’ve lived there for all my 26 years. It’s a beautiful place with a lot of industries as well as residential areas. It is one of four metropolitan cities in India

Where did you grow up and do you have any special memories of your childhood?

I grew up in Chennai, the place I was born. All my life I have lived in the same locality surrounded by friends and relatives. The days I spent in school and college are the most memorable and carefree days of my life.

What educational information would you like to share?

I did my schooling in Chennai and did my bachelors degree in a place called Tanjore in Tamil Nadu. I hold a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Information Technology.

What are some of your past or present occupations?

I am a software engineer by profession and am currently working for Tata Consultancy Services Ltd, a software consultancy firm based out of India. I am currently on an onshore assignment with Bank of America in New Jersey (since July 09).

What are your key areas of knowledge, interest or expertise?

I have specific interest in banking, stock markets and other areas related to Investment banking. Also I have interest in programming languages like Java, because that’s my area of expertise. I learned the technical and business skills required for my job as well as on my areas of interest on the job and self-study.

Do you have any collections or hobbies?

I play Cricket. Cricket was one of my favorite pastimes when I was in college. I love cars and dogs.

What do you like to do for recreation?

I prefer to just eat and sleep, listening to some nice soothing music.

Do you have any special talents you’d like to share?

I used to sing when I was in school and college, and represented my college in all India university cultural events.

What accomplishments are you proud of?

I am proud of my job as well as my family and especially my brother who has won titles in body building competitions. He aspires to compete in Mr. Olympia, for which I intend on extending as much help and support that he would need.

What are your special goals or dreams?

My dream is to one day own an organization of my own, employ at least a 1,000 people or more and have my company listed in the NY Stock Exchange.

How would you describe yourself or personality?

I am a friendly, straight forward and outgoing kind of person. I can make friends easily and get along with everyone.

What brought you to Answers.com?

I was just randomly searching for some stuff when I stumbled across the website. I liked the way questions were being asked and answered and thought, why not share the little knowledge I have and help out people in need.

What kept you coming back to Answers.com?

I liked the environment and support given by Senior Mentors and Supers like Ksmail and Brave3.

What is your favorite Answers.com activity?

My favorite activity is identifying people who want to cause damage and disturb the peace and quiet on the website.

Do you want to be interviewed for the Contributor corner? Just leave a comment below and we’ll get to work.

MediaPost finds Answers (.com)

What’s behind Answers.com? MediaPost’s Online Media Daily has the details as explained by Bob Rosenschein, founder and CEO  of the questions and answers site: Searching For Answers (.com)

Here’s a summary from this weekend’s article about Answers.com – what’s been happening and where we’re going in 2011:

  • The company provides licensed content from 250 encyclopedias and dictionaries for free. Two weeks ago, the company added the Random House Word Menu containing related words — not only synonyms, but concepts.
  • Both the user interface and the backend system will get an overhaul this year. An automatic reputation management system is in the works. It measures statistical factors such as capitalization and spelling to estimate the quality of a community-contributed answer.
  • A new user interface dubbed “Project Aqua” will roll out in the coming months. New social features will help users tie their Answers.com activity into their social graphs.

Read the full article at MediaPost.

What’s new in Version 1.2.

blufr’s iPhone version 1.2 has been released and updated in iTunes! Here’s the list of new features you’ll find:

  • Send your own custom-written blufs
  • bluf-o-grams – to friends and enemies…
  • Play without registering on Facebook or Twitter…
  • Track your progress and friends on the scoreboard…
  • Report blufs for errors in spelling, factuality, and fairness…

…and other minor improvements.

Get the updated version!

Peek-a-boo! I see video!

For a while now you’ve been able to get all kinds of content on Answers.com: reference articles, community-written Q&As, bite-size trivia, and of course, videos.

The unique element of Answers.com is the way the site works to combine those kinds of content, so that  no matter what you look up or ask, you’ll get the best possible answer from all worlds.

Part of that is bringing you relevant videos, no matter what topic you’re looking up. You can find suggested videos at the bottom of reference articles and Q&As, as well as on category pages for both kinds of content.

See it displayed on Q&A category pages, like Cars & Vehicles:

Here it is embedded on reference library pages, like Food & Cooking:

Explore the full category listings for the reference library and Q&A content, as well as the full library of videos.

Singing to the Tune of Masonrepublica.

In our Contributor Corner this fine week is an awesome Supervisor and a former Premier Answerer who goes by the name of Mansonrepublica. When asked how she thunk up her user name, she had this to say “It’s the online handle I’ve been using since at least 2000. It comes from my two favorite bands in middle school (when I started using the name): Marilyn Manson and Republica.” Well rock on! Let’s continue singing to the tune of Mansonrepublica!

Where do you live, how long have you lived there and why do you like the area?

I currently live in Winter Park, Florida. I’ve been here for about a year and a half, and I’ll be here for at least another six months. I’m going to school in the area.

Do you have any pets?

Nope. I live in a small apartment and spend a lot of time at school. It just doesn’t seem right to leave an animal cooped up alone all day.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Miami, Florida. My entire extended family lives in the area so we were very close.

What educational information would you like to share?

I’m currently attending Full Sail University for Show Production. I previously attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for Theater Design/Production, but the program was a poor fit for me.

What are your key areas of knowledge, interest or expertise?

I’m really interested in audio engineering and sound system design. I’ve been doing theater since I was ten but never had any experience in production sound until I got to college. I had a professor who decided I was a sound designer after our first assignment.

Do you have any collections or hobbies?

I love crafting! I knit, sew, cut out, glue, etc. And I’m pretty handy in the kitchen. I also collect tin toy robots and vintage cameras.

What are a few random facts about yourself?

When I was in elementary school, I won a district math competition and was on the Mathletes team.

What accomplishments are you proud of?

I was pretty psyched when I was asked to become a Supervisor! I’m very proud of the fact that I’m nearly done with my Bachelor’s degree.

What are your special goals or dreams?

I’m hoping to work for the Walt Disney Company someday. :)

What brought you to Answers.com?

Before registering for the site, I made a lot of contributions to the theater categories because I was in a theater history class. Then I would refresh the main page and answer the newest questions. I finally settled into the Disney categories a little over a year ago.

Are you a Floating or Category Supervisor (which categories)?

I’m a Category Supervisor for the Disney, Walt Disney and Disney Theme Parks categories. I’ve been visiting Walt Disney World for almost twenty one years, so I know a thing or two about the parks.

What keeps you coming back to Answers.com?

Knowing that I can share my Disney trivia and traveling expertise. Everyone I know comes to me when they have Disney questions, and every time I visit the parks I find myself giving advice to random travelers.

What is your favorite Answers.com activity?

I live for organization.

Do you want to be interviewed for the Contributor corner? Just leave a comment below and we’ll get to work.