DQ
Dairy Queen, commonly abbreviated as DQ, is an American multinational chain of fast-food restaurants specializing in soft-serve ice cream, frozen treats, and grill items, founded on June 22, 1940, in Joliet, Illinois, by Sherb Noble using a formula developed by J.F. McCullough and his son Alex.[1][2] The company, operating as International Dairy Queen, Inc. and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has expanded to more than 6,000 franchised and company-owned locations across the United States, Canada, and 18 other countries, emphasizing its signature Blizzard—a soft-serve dessert mixed with candies, fruits, or other toppings introduced in 1985.[3][4][5] A wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway since 1998, Dairy Queen achieved rapid growth through franchising, reaching over 2,600 stores by the 1950s and innovating with products like the Buster Bar in 1968, while facing modern challenges such as select store closures amid franchisee disputes.[1][3][6]Businesses and Brands
Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen is an American multinational chain of fast-food restaurants specializing in soft-serve ice cream and related treats, with many locations also offering grilled items such as burgers and chicken. Founded in 1940, the brand operates under International Dairy Queen, Inc. (IDQ), a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway acquired in 1997 for $585 million.[7] Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dairy Queen emphasizes its signature soft-serve formula, which was developed in 1938 by John Fremont McCullough and his son Alex through their Homemade Ice Cream Company in Green River, Illinois.[2] The first Dairy Queen store opened on June 22, 1940, in Joliet, Illinois, operated by franchisee Sherb Noble, who sold nearly 1,700 servings on the debut day using the McCulloughs' innovative soft-serve recipe that allowed for a higher overrun of air, resulting in a lighter texture.[1] The company's expansion accelerated post-World War II, with IDQ formalized in 1962 to oversee franchising, leading to rapid growth across the United States and internationally, including the first Canadian location in Estevan, Saskatchewan, in 1953.[1] By 2024, Dairy Queen operated approximately 7,544 locations worldwide, including 4,254 in the U.S. and 3,290 internationally, generating global systemwide sales of $6.365 billion.[8] The brand introduced the Blizzard treat in 1985, a soft-serve mix-ins product that can be held upside down without spilling, which became a hallmark innovation and drove significant menu evolution, including seasonal flavors and limited-time offerings like the Royal Blizzard line.[9] Dairy Queen's menu centers on frozen treats such as cones, sundaes, and Dilly Bars, alongside hot food options at Grill & Chill formats, which comprise the majority of stores and include items like the FlameThrower grill burger and chicken strips.[10] Innovations have included non-dairy options and hybrid desserts, reflecting adaptations to consumer preferences for variety in textures and flavors, such as crunchy mix-ins in Blizzards.[11] Nearly all locations are franchised, with IDQ providing support in supply chain and marketing, contributing to the chain's resilience and projected growth toward $10 billion in systemwide sales by 2030 through new openings, particularly in international markets.[12]Daqo New Energy Corp.
Daqo New Energy Corp. (NYSE: DQ) is a Chinese holding company primarily engaged in the manufacture and sale of high-purity polysilicon, a key raw material used in producing solar photovoltaic (PV) modules.[13] The company operates production facilities in China, including in Shihezi, Xinjiang, and utilizes a modified Siemens process involving chemical vapor deposition to produce polysilicon with purity levels suitable for monocrystalline silicon ingots and wafers.[14] [15] It sells its output to photovoltaic product manufacturers who process it into solar cells and panels for global markets.[16] Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Shanghai, Daqo New Energy initially focused on polysilicon production to capitalize on growing demand for solar energy components.[17] The company went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2010 after changing its name from Mega Stand International Limited in August 2009.[18] It has positioned itself as one of the lowest-cost producers of high-purity polysilicon through technological advancements and efficient manufacturing, enabling competitive pricing amid industry volatility driven by supply chain dynamics and raw material costs.[15] [19] In recent years, Daqo has expanded capacity, with its Xinjiang subsidiary achieving record-low production costs in 2025 while navigating market challenges such as polysilicon price fluctuations.[20] For the third quarter of 2025 ended September 30, the company reported revenue of $244.6 million, a 23.2% increase from the prior year, alongside positive EBITDA of $45.8 million and cash reserves of $551.6 million.[19] [21] Despite these improvements, it recorded a net loss, with earnings per share of ($0.22), though this exceeded analyst expectations due to disciplined cost management.[22] [23] Daqo has faced legal challenges, including a class action lawsuit filed in U.S. courts alleging that the company issued materially misleading business information to investors, though specifics on outcomes remain pending as of late 2025.[24] Additionally, its Xinjiang Daqo subsidiary was involved in litigation over a terminated business cooperation agreement, with a first-instance court verdict in July 2024 upholding the termination but details on financial impacts undisclosed.[25] These issues occur against a backdrop of broader scrutiny on Chinese solar supply chains, particularly those linked to Xinjiang, where U.S. import restrictions under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act have targeted polysilicon producers amid allegations of forced labor, though Daqo has not been directly named in such bans.[16]DQ Entertainment
DQ Entertainment (International) Limited is an Indian animation studio headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana, specializing in 2D and 3D animation production, visual effects, game art, and live-action content for television series, feature films, home videos, and digital platforms.[26][27] Founded in 2000 by Tapaas Chakravarti, who brought over three decades of experience in corporate management and international sales to the venture, the company positioned itself as a global service provider and co-producer, partnering with broadcasters such as Disney, Nickelodeon, BBC, and ZDF.[28][29] It operated divisions focused on marquee animation services, co-productions, distribution, and licensing of intellectual properties, contributing to more than 160 projects over its history.[30][31] The studio's portfolio includes animation services for prominent series such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Iron Man: Armored Adventures, Winx Club, Chuggington, Puppy Dog Pals, and Casper's Scare School, as well as adaptations of classic stories like The Jungle Book, Peter Pan, and The Little Prince.[32][33][34] These efforts often involved subcontracted production work for international clients, emphasizing cost-effective outsourcing from India while delivering high-volume output; for instance, it handled episodes for preschool-targeted content from Disney and provided visual effects support for films like Baahubali: The Beginning.[32][35] The company also ventured into original IP development and game art creation, though its primary revenue stemmed from service contracts rather than owned content ownership.[27] Publicly listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange since 2007 and the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange, DQ Entertainment reported trailing 12-month revenue of approximately $75,400 as of March 2023, reflecting a workforce of around 1,448 employees at its peak but struggling with low interest coverage and stagnant sales growth.[36][37] Financial pressures mounted due to industry competition, delayed payments from clients, and operational costs, leading to the initiation of Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) under India's Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in December 2021.[38][39] The National Company Law Tribunal ordered liquidation of the entity on December 20, 2023, following unsuccessful resolution attempts, which resulted in the cessation of major operations and job losses for hundreds of staff.[40] Despite this, affiliated entities or the brand have maintained an online presence promoting legacy services.[31]Entertainment and Media
Dragon Quest
Dragon Quest is a long-running franchise of console role-playing games (RPGs) originating in Japan, centered on heroic quests to defeat ancient evils using turn-based combat mechanics and fantasy narratives inspired by Western tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons. Created by game designer Yuji Horii through his studio Armor Project, the series features character designs by Akira Toriyama of Dragon Ball fame and orchestral scores composed by Koichi Sugiyama, with Enix (merged into Square Enix in 2003) handling publication.[41][42] The inaugural title, Dragon Quest, launched on May 27, 1986, for the Nintendo Famicom, establishing core elements such as first-person dungeon exploration, random enemy encounters, and party-based leveling systems that influenced subsequent Japanese RPG design.[43] The mainline series comprises eleven numbered entries as of 2018, with Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate announced in 2021 and under active development by Square Enix as of 2025, though specific details remain limited. Key releases include Dragon Quest II on January 26, 1987; Dragon Quest III on February 10, 1988, which introduced class-switching mechanics and sold over 3.8 million copies in Japan alone; and later titles like Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (2004) and Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age (2017), which expanded to 3D graphics and broader narratives while retaining traditional turn-based battles.[44][45] Spin-offs, such as the Dragon Quest Monsters subseries focused on creature collection, and remakes like the HD-2D versions of Dragon Quest I & II set for October 30, 2025, have extended the franchise's reach across platforms including Nintendo Switch and PC.[42] Gameplay emphasizes strategic command inputs for actions like attacking, spell-casting, or item use in menu-driven, turn-based fights against visible or random monsters, with progression tied to grinding experience points for character growth and equipment upgrades. Recurring icons include the Slime enemy as the series mascot, fairy companions for hints, and metal enemies yielding rare drops, fostering a sense of tradition and accessibility that appeals to players seeking deliberate pacing over action-oriented alternatives. Early development by Chunsoft emphasized console-friendly adaptations of Western RPG complexity, shifting to Heartbeat for later entries like Dragon Quest VI (1995), which introduced dream-world mechanics.[46][47] In Japan, Dragon Quest achieved massive cultural prominence, with releases like Dragon Quest III prompting school closures and weekend launches to curb truancy, selling millions and embedding itself in national gaming identity as a pioneer of the JRPG genre. Globally, the series has sold over 88 million units by 2023, though Western adoption lagged due to initial name changes to "Dragon Warrior" to avoid "dragon" trademark issues and competition from Final Fantasy's flashier aesthetics. Its enduring appeal stems from consistent quality, Toriyama's whimsical art, and Horii's focus on narrative-driven exploration, influencing titles beyond RPGs while maintaining sales dominance in its home market.[48][49][50]Dancing Queen
"Dancing Queen" is a song recorded by the Swedish pop group ABBA, released as the lead single from their fourth studio album Arrival on August 16, 1976, in Sweden. Composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus with lyrics by Ulvaeus and ABBA manager Stig Anderson, the track features lead vocals by Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad and embodies a disco-influenced Europop style centered on the joy of dancing among young women at a nightclub.[51] [52] The song originated from sessions in 1975, initially titled "Boogaloo" during early development, before evolving into its final form.[53] ABBA premiered "Dancing Queen" live on June 18, 1976, at a televised gala in Stockholm honoring the impending marriage of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia Sommerlath, marking the group's first public performance of the track before its single release.[54] Upon release, it rapidly ascended international charts, becoming ABBA's sole number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it debuted in December 1976 and held the top position for one week in April 1977 after 16 weeks on the chart.[55] The song also topped charts in Australia, Belgium, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, West Germany, and Zimbabwe, among others, solidifying its status as a global phenomenon.[56] In terms of commercial performance, "Dancing Queen" has amassed significant sales and streaming figures; in the UK, it received triple platinum certification from the BPI in 2024 for equivalent sales of 1.8 million units since 2004, including downloads and streams.[57] Globally, estimates place physical and digital sales in the millions, with certifications including gold in Canada for 100,000 units and multiple gold awards in Australia equivalent to 20 times gold status based on revenue thresholds.[58] The track's enduring appeal is evident in its continued radio play and inclusion in ABBA's 2021 virtual concert residency Voyage, where it remains a staple of their catalog.[59]Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman
Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman is an American Western drama television series created and executive produced by Beth Sullivan that premiered on CBS on January 1, 1993, and ran for six seasons until May 16, 1998.[60] [61] The program follows Dr. Michaela Quinn, portrayed by Jane Seymour, a female physician from Boston who relocates to the rugged Colorado Springs territory in the 1860s to establish a medical practice amid skepticism from the local population.[60] Spanning 150 episodes, the series depicts her challenges treating patients, raising adopted children, and navigating relationships in a post-Civil War frontier setting marked by conflicts with Native American tribes, railroad expansion, and evolving social norms.[60] The main cast includes Seymour as the titular Dr. Quinn, Joe Lando as her love interest Byron Sully, a mountain man and advocate for Native rights, Chad Allen as her adopted son Matthew, Erika Flores (seasons 1-3) and later Jessica Bowman as adopted daughter Colleen, and Shawn Toovey as youngest adopted son Brian.[62] Recurring roles feature Diane Ladd as Myra Bing, a former prostitute turned telegrapher, and Larry Sellers as Cloud Dancing, a Cheyenne medicine man.[62] Production emphasized period authenticity in costumes and sets, filmed primarily at the Studio City ranch in California, though some critics noted anachronisms in medical practices and social attitudes, such as accelerated gender equality portrayals relative to historical records.[63] [64] The series addressed topics including racial prejudice, women's suffrage, and medical ethics through episodic storytelling, often prioritizing moral resolutions over strict historical fidelity, which drew praise for family-oriented content but criticism for injecting modern sensibilities into 19th-century events.[65] [66] Seymour received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama in 1996, and the show garnered 19 Emmy nominations, winning four for technical achievements like music composition.[67] [68] Following its cancellation due to declining ratings, CBS produced two telefilms: Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Movie in 1999, resolving the series' cliffhanger with Sully's presumed death, and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within in 2001, focusing on Michaela's later life.[69]People
Notable Individuals
James Danforth Quayle, commonly known as Dan Quayle, served as the 44th Vice President of the United States from January 20, 1989, to January 20, 1993, under President George H. W. Bush.[70] Prior to his vice presidency, Quayle represented Indiana in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1977 to 1981 and in the U.S. Senate from 1981 to 1989.[70] Dennis William Quaid is an American actor born on April 9, 1954, in Houston, Texas.[71] He gained prominence for roles in films such as Breaking Away (1979), The Right Stuff (1983), and The Parent Trap (1998), often portraying charismatic or rugged characters across genres including drama, comedy, and action.[71] Didier Queloz is a Swiss astronomer born in 1966 who, along with Michel Mayor, discovered the first extrasolar planet orbiting a Sun-like star, 51 Pegasi b, in 1995 using radial velocity measurements.[72] For this breakthrough, which revolutionized exoplanet research, Queloz shared the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics with Mayor and James Peebles.[72] He holds positions at the University of Cambridge and ETH Zurich.[72] Daniel Patrick Quinn, known as Dan Quinn, is an American football coach born on September 11, 1970.[73] He has served as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 to 2020, reaching Super Bowl LI, and currently leads the Washington Commanders, appointed on February 3, 2024.[74] Previously, Quinn was defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys, contributing to multiple playoff appearances.[74]Science, Technology, and Computing
Data Quality
Data quality refers to the condition of a dataset based on its fitness for intended uses, encompassing attributes such as accuracy, completeness, and consistency that determine its reliability for decision-making and analysis.[75] High data quality enables effective operations and reduces risks from erroneous insights, while poor quality can lead to financial losses estimated at up to 15-25% of revenue in some organizations due to misguided decisions.[76][77] Core dimensions of data quality include accuracy, which measures conformity to real-world values; completeness, assessing the absence of missing values; consistency, ensuring uniformity across datasets; timeliness, evaluating data currency relative to needs; validity, verifying adherence to formats and rules; and uniqueness, preventing duplicates.[76][77] These dimensions, formalized in standards like ISO/IEC 25012, provide a model for evaluating data products across characteristics such as intrinsic quality (e.g., accuracy) and contextual quality (e.g., relevance).[78] International standards guide data quality management, with the ISO 8000 series establishing frameworks for master data quality, including processes for roles, responsibilities, and conformance testing published as of 2022.[79][75] ISO/IEC 5259-4:2024 extends this to analytics and machine learning, defining process frameworks for quality assurance in data pipelines.[80] Assessment methods involve profiling datasets to identify anomalies, applying rule-based validations (e.g., schema checks), and computing metrics like error rates or completeness ratios, often automated via tools that monitor pipelines in real-time.[81][82] For instance, completeness can be quantified as the percentage of non-null fields in a required dataset, while consistency checks reconcile values across sources.[83] Organizations implement these through systematic audits, such as data quality assessments that evaluate strengths and weaknesses to inform remediation.[84]Sports and Competition
Disqualification
In sports and competitions, DQ denotes disqualification, the formal removal of a participant from an event, heat, or entire tournament for violating established rules, thereby nullifying their results in that context.[85][86] This sanction enforces fair play, technical compliance, and safety, with officials—such as referees, judges, or technical delegates—issuing the call based on observed infractions.[87] Consequences include forfeiture of any provisional placement, points, or advancement, and in severe cases, bans from future events or the competition altogether; for instance, in Olympic track events, a disqualified athlete's results are erased, potentially reshaping podium finishes.[88][89] Disqualification procedures emphasize objectivity and review. In governed bodies like World Athletics or the International Olympic Committee, initial calls by on-field officials can be protested within specified windows—typically 30 minutes post-event—with juries reviewing video evidence before upholding or overturning.[90] Appeals rarely succeed without clear error, as rules prioritize deterrence against deliberate rule-bending, such as in false starts where reaction times under 0.1 seconds trigger automatic review via starting blocks sensors.[88] Common triggers span technical errors, conduct violations, and equipment issues. In track and field, frequent causes include lane infractions—running outside assigned boundaries—or false starts, where World Athletics rules since 2010 impose immediate DQ on the first offense to curb repeated delays, as seen in the 100m sprints.[88][91] Hurdle events add knocking over obstacles without clearing or trailing a leg beside them at clearance.[92] In swimming, DQs arise from stroke faults like incomplete two-hand wall touches in breaststroke or illegal turns, enforced by stroke judges to maintain event integrity.[93][94] In combat sports like boxing, disqualification follows cumulative or egregious fouls, including low blows, holding, or intentional headbutts after warnings; Olympic rules specify automatic DQ on a third caution or for unsportsmanlike behavior endangering opponents.[95][96] Golf tournaments denote DQ for scorecard errors or pace-of-play breaches, while broader competition statuses distinguish it from withdrawals (WD) or no-shows (NS).[97] Across disciplines, doping violations trigger retroactive DQs under anti-doping codes, disqualifying results from the infraction date onward.[98]Other Uses
Drama Queen
A drama queen is an informal, derogatory term for a person who frequently exhibits exaggerated emotional responses or theatrical behavior in everyday situations, often to attract attention or manipulate others.[99] The phrase typically connotes excessive fuss-making over minor issues, with reactions disproportionate to the event's gravity, such as turning a trivial disagreement into a major crisis.[100] While commonly applied to women due to cultural stereotypes associating femininity with emotional expressiveness, the term can refer to anyone exhibiting such traits, regardless of gender.[101] The earliest documented use of "drama queen" dates to 1923 in The Washington Post, predating claims of its origin in 1990s gay slang, which appear to reflect a later popularization rather than invention.[102] Early instances described individuals prone to melodramatic outbursts, drawing from the literal sense of "drama" as theatrical performance combined with "queen" implying regal or attention-seeking flair.[100] By the late 20th century, the expression gained wider colloquial currency in English-speaking cultures, often in media critiques of public figures or interpersonal dynamics, though it remains pejorative and subjective in application.[103] No formal psychological diagnosis equates directly to "drama queen," but the behavior aligns with traits of histrionic personality disorder, characterized by attention-seeking and dramatic emotionality, as outlined in the DSM-5.Additional Abbreviations
- Dairy Queen: A chain of soft-serve ice cream and fast-food restaurants, with the first location opening on June 22, 1940, in Joliet, Illinois.[3] The company, now a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, maintains its headquarters in Edina, Minnesota.[104]
- Dragon Quest: A series of role-playing video games created by Yuji Horii and initially developed by Chunsoft, first released in 1986 and published by Enix (later Square Enix).[41][46]
- Difference quotient: In mathematics, the expression \frac{f(x + h) - f(x)}{h} representing the average rate of change of a function f over an interval of length h, foundational to the definition of the derivative as h approaches zero.[105][106]