Mark Brader
2024-03-12 15:23:49 UTC
These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on the dates
indicated, and should be interpreted accordingly. If any answers
have changed due to newer news, you are still expected to give
the answers that were correct on that date.
On each question you may give up to two answers, but if you give
both a right answer and a wrong answer, there is a small penalty.
Please post all your answers in a single followup to the newsgroup,
based only on your own knowledge. (In your answer posting, quote
the questions and place your answer below each one.) I will reveal
the correct answers in about 3 days.
All questions were written by members of the Misplaced Modifiers
and are used here by permission, but have been reformatted and may
have been retyped and/or edited by me. The posting and tabulation
of current-events questions is independent of the concurrent posting
of other rounds. For further information please see my 2023-05-24
companion posting on "Questions from the Canadian Inquisition
(QFTCI*)".
* Game 5 (2024-03-04), Round 1 - Current Events
1. Sweden became the 32nd member of the NATO alliance last week.
Most existing NATO members approved Sweden's accession to the
military alliance back in September. Which member country was
the final holdout?
2. The Alberta government announced that it will bar certain types
of projects from prime land in the province. What kind of
projects will be barred?
3. The "single-use and take-away items" bylaw went into effect on
Friday in Toronto. What change will takeout food customers
notice during interactions with staff, with regard to things
like napkins and straws?
4. Toronto's Transportation Services Division recommended that city
council increase the penalty for the offence casually referred
to as "blocking the box" from its current $90 to $260, the same
penalty given for running a red light. What does it mean to
"block the box"?
5. At an NCAA track competition in Arkansas last weekend,
Christopher Morales Williams of Vaughan, Ontario, set a new
indoor world record in his event, with a time of 44.49 seconds.
However, on Tuesday his world record was denied because the
"starter information system" had not been connected to the
starting blocks. What distance did he run?
6. A popular fast-food restaurant chain was forced to clarify
this week that the comments their CEO made about "dynamic
pricing" were not going to result in Uber-style "surge
pricing", but rather simple discounts during off-peak hours.
Which restaurant?
7. A member of the American rock band the Eagles was in a New York
courtroom this week to maintain his ownership of handwritten
draft lyrics for the song "Hotel California", which were
allegedly stolen and put up for auction. Name the Eagle
involved.
8. At the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Calgary, Rachel
Homan won the Canadian women's curling championship. It was
the last Hearts game for her opponent, who has 6 Canadian
championships, 2 world championships, and an Olympic gold medal
to her credit. Name Homan's legendary opponent.
9. Formerly known as Enerjet, and rebranded with an animal name
in 2021, this Calgary-based discount airline ceased operations
last Monday. Name it.
10. Last week saw some wild temperature swings. The temperature
at Toronto Pearson Airport hit 16.5° at noon on Wednesday --
followed by a precipitous drop. Within 2°, how far did the
temperature drop in just 17 minutes?
* Game 6 (2024-03-11), Round 1 - Current Events
1. All over the world, fans of martial arts manga are mourning the
death of Akira Toriyama. What's the name of his influential
manga series that spawned one of the highest-grossing media
franchises of all time, including movies, video games, and TV
series?
2. After a number of appeals, visas were finally issued to
participants of the Candidates Tournament, a prestigious event
to take place next month in Toronto. What is this event?
3. It was revealed last week that Taylor Swift is the 6th cousin
3 times removed of which renowned poetess?
4. The 2024 Montana's Brier (that's men's curling, for those of
you who don't know) took place last week in the Brandt Centre --
in which Canadian city?
5. Referring to changes in Major League Baseball, Jimmy Fallon joked
that "we're going to see a lot more dingers". What specifically
was he referring to?
6. Which feature-length film received the most Canadian Screen
Awards nominations, *and* won the best feature prize from the
Toronto Critics Association?
7. Joe Biden won every primary on Super Tuesday except the
same territory that he lost to Michael Bloomberg in 2020.
Which jurisdiction was that outlier?
8. Carolyn Parrish and Peter McCallion are two of the 5 candidates
who registered on opening day for what mayoralty race?
9. While its organizers seek creditor protection, what annual
Montreal event was cancelled for the first time since its
inception 40 years ago?
10. Which country's prime minister was Justin Trudeau going to
host at the AGO, until pro-Palestinian protesters forced it to
be cancelled?
indicated, and should be interpreted accordingly. If any answers
have changed due to newer news, you are still expected to give
the answers that were correct on that date.
On each question you may give up to two answers, but if you give
both a right answer and a wrong answer, there is a small penalty.
Please post all your answers in a single followup to the newsgroup,
based only on your own knowledge. (In your answer posting, quote
the questions and place your answer below each one.) I will reveal
the correct answers in about 3 days.
All questions were written by members of the Misplaced Modifiers
and are used here by permission, but have been reformatted and may
have been retyped and/or edited by me. The posting and tabulation
of current-events questions is independent of the concurrent posting
of other rounds. For further information please see my 2023-05-24
companion posting on "Questions from the Canadian Inquisition
(QFTCI*)".
* Game 5 (2024-03-04), Round 1 - Current Events
1. Sweden became the 32nd member of the NATO alliance last week.
Most existing NATO members approved Sweden's accession to the
military alliance back in September. Which member country was
the final holdout?
2. The Alberta government announced that it will bar certain types
of projects from prime land in the province. What kind of
projects will be barred?
3. The "single-use and take-away items" bylaw went into effect on
Friday in Toronto. What change will takeout food customers
notice during interactions with staff, with regard to things
like napkins and straws?
4. Toronto's Transportation Services Division recommended that city
council increase the penalty for the offence casually referred
to as "blocking the box" from its current $90 to $260, the same
penalty given for running a red light. What does it mean to
"block the box"?
5. At an NCAA track competition in Arkansas last weekend,
Christopher Morales Williams of Vaughan, Ontario, set a new
indoor world record in his event, with a time of 44.49 seconds.
However, on Tuesday his world record was denied because the
"starter information system" had not been connected to the
starting blocks. What distance did he run?
6. A popular fast-food restaurant chain was forced to clarify
this week that the comments their CEO made about "dynamic
pricing" were not going to result in Uber-style "surge
pricing", but rather simple discounts during off-peak hours.
Which restaurant?
7. A member of the American rock band the Eagles was in a New York
courtroom this week to maintain his ownership of handwritten
draft lyrics for the song "Hotel California", which were
allegedly stolen and put up for auction. Name the Eagle
involved.
8. At the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Calgary, Rachel
Homan won the Canadian women's curling championship. It was
the last Hearts game for her opponent, who has 6 Canadian
championships, 2 world championships, and an Olympic gold medal
to her credit. Name Homan's legendary opponent.
9. Formerly known as Enerjet, and rebranded with an animal name
in 2021, this Calgary-based discount airline ceased operations
last Monday. Name it.
10. Last week saw some wild temperature swings. The temperature
at Toronto Pearson Airport hit 16.5° at noon on Wednesday --
followed by a precipitous drop. Within 2°, how far did the
temperature drop in just 17 minutes?
* Game 6 (2024-03-11), Round 1 - Current Events
1. All over the world, fans of martial arts manga are mourning the
death of Akira Toriyama. What's the name of his influential
manga series that spawned one of the highest-grossing media
franchises of all time, including movies, video games, and TV
series?
2. After a number of appeals, visas were finally issued to
participants of the Candidates Tournament, a prestigious event
to take place next month in Toronto. What is this event?
3. It was revealed last week that Taylor Swift is the 6th cousin
3 times removed of which renowned poetess?
4. The 2024 Montana's Brier (that's men's curling, for those of
you who don't know) took place last week in the Brandt Centre --
in which Canadian city?
5. Referring to changes in Major League Baseball, Jimmy Fallon joked
that "we're going to see a lot more dingers". What specifically
was he referring to?
6. Which feature-length film received the most Canadian Screen
Awards nominations, *and* won the best feature prize from the
Toronto Critics Association?
7. Joe Biden won every primary on Super Tuesday except the
same territory that he lost to Michael Bloomberg in 2020.
Which jurisdiction was that outlier?
8. Carolyn Parrish and Peter McCallion are two of the 5 candidates
who registered on opening day for what mayoralty race?
9. While its organizers seek creditor protection, what annual
Montreal event was cancelled for the first time since its
inception 40 years ago?
10. Which country's prime minister was Justin Trudeau going to
host at the AGO, until pro-Palestinian protesters forced it to
be cancelled?
--
Mark Brader, Toronto Rocket, 1829: The first 30 mph train.
***@vex.net TGV-A, 1989: The first 300 mph train.
My text in this article is in the public domain.
Mark Brader, Toronto Rocket, 1829: The first 30 mph train.
***@vex.net TGV-A, 1989: The first 300 mph train.
My text in this article is in the public domain.