And now, current-events Questions from the Canadian Inquisition
by Bloor St. Irregulars in 2023! (I'll update my introductory
companion posting later, but I wanted to get this set out as
fast as possible.)

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 Bloor St. Irregulars 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 (currently tagged RQFTCICR14).

* Game 1 (2023-05-08), Round 1 - Current Events

1. Let's start things off with that which brought us to a screeching
halt three years ago. On Friday, the WHO declared the COVID
emergency over. However, what is the name of the current
subvariant of interest, which has been associated with pink-eye?

2. It was announced this week that U of T professor and AI pioneer
Geoffrey Hinton quit his job, warning, "It is hard to see how
you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things".
Which employer did he leave?

3. Canadian Tire was certainly in the news last week. They
announced both a partnership with Petro-Canada, and that they
were acquiring the leases for 10 locations formerly occupied
by what American retailer, which filed for bankruptcy earlier
this year?

4. The fallout from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank continued
this week. Which bank was seized on Monday by regulators and
sold to JPMorgan Chase?

5. The Calgary Flames fired their head coach this week. Who was he?
It was his second stint with the Flames. He has also won two
Stanley Cups as head coach of the L.A. Kings, in the 2011-12
and 2013-14 seasons.

6. The 149th edition of the Kentucky Derby was not without
controversy. A record number of horses, including the favorite,
were scratched from the main race; and in the week leading up to
the race, a number of horses died, some from mysterious causes.
Within 1, how many horses died in the week leading up to the
Kentucky Derby?

7. The inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2023
were announced on Wednesday. Please name any one on the list
from the Performer category -- the main category.

8. Sundown came this week for what 84-year-old Canadian
singer-songwriter? He was a pioneer in folk, rock, pop, and
country music who wrote hundreds of songs for himself and many
other artists, but arguably he will be best remembered for the
tale of a Lake Superior shipwreck.

9. On Tuesday, which Saskatchewan community became the first of
the Dakota First Nations to sign a treaty with Canada? This
treaty formally recognizes the community as Indigenous people of
Canada, and acknowledges their inherent right to self-governance?

10. The signature dish served at coronation of the late
Queen Elizabeth II was Coronation Chicken, a chicken salad
which became ubiquitous in England. Only time will tell if
King Charles III's choice of signature dish for his coronation
will achieve a similar status. Name that dish.

After completing the round, please decode the rot13: Ba gur svefg
dhrfgvba, gur nafjre vf n fhoinevnag bs Bzvpeba. Fb vs lbh fnvq
Bzvpeba, cyrnfr tb onpx naq or zber fcrpvsvp.

* Game 2 (2023-05-15), Round 1 - Current Events

1. On Saturday, Sweden won the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Name
the singer, who became the first woman to win the prize *twice*.

2. The video game "Tears of the Kingdom" was released on May 12,
with devoted fans everywhere lining up days before to get their
copy. This is the 29th entry in this beloved, 37-year-old,
Nintendo-only series of games. Name this franchise.

3. The NHL draft Lottery was held on Monday night. Like previously
named "Connor McDavid" and "Auston Matthews" drafts, this year's
draft was named after what hot commodity?

4. The Leafs are out of the playoffs again, losing game 5 in
overtime. Name the Florida Panther who scored the goal that
ended the Leafs' season.

5. On Monday, the Federal government revealed the new design for
the Canadian Royal Crown that sits atop the Canada Coat of Arms.
It replaces religious symbols like crosses and fleur-de-lis
with more traditional Canadian symbols. Name one of the two
prominent new symbols.

6. This week, Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei was declared persona non
grata due to alleged attempts to intimidate a Conservative MP.
Name that MP.

7. Earlier this week, the Globe And Mail reported that Canada is
interested in joining what currently trilateral security pact?

8. On Wednesday, every province except Alberta and Quebec
participated in a test of Canada's national public-alert system.
What is the name of the system?

9. On Monday, what Juno-winning Canadian band announced they are
breaking up after 27 years? They will finish their current
tour and release a final double album, after which we'll just
have to see how their individual parts fare.

10. Ah, Internet theories! An untitled book known only as "4C
Untitled Flatiron Nonfiction Summer 2023" was hovering around the
top of some major US sales/presales charts. Its rapid rise was
attributed to a rumor that it was written by which pop artist?

--
Mark Brader | "It is, in fact, a very good rule to be especially suspicious
Toronto | of work that says what you want to hear..."
msb@vex.net | --Paul Krugman

My text in this article is in the public domain.

Mark Brader (msb@vex.net) writes:
> * Game 1 (2023-05-08), Round 1 - Current Events
>
> 2. It was announced this week that U of T professor and AI pioneer
> Geoffrey Hinton quit his job, warning, "It is hard to see how
> you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things".
> Which employer did he leave?

Google
> 6. The 149th edition of the Kentucky Derby was not without
> controversy. A record number of horses, including the favorite,
> were scratched from the main race; and in the week leading up to
> the race, a number of horses died, some from mysterious causes.
> Within 1, how many horses died in the week leading up to the
> Kentucky Derby?

4
> 8. Sundown came this week for what 84-year-old Canadian
> singer-songwriter? He was a pioneer in folk, rock, pop, and
> country music who wrote hundreds of songs for himself and many
> other artists, but arguably he will be best remembered for the
> tale of a Lake Superior shipwreck.

Gordon Lightfoot
> After completing the round, please decode the rot13: Ba gur svefg
> dhrfgvba, gur nafjre vf n fhoinevnag bs Bzvpeba. Fb vs lbh fnvq
> Bzvpeba, cyrnfr tb onpx naq or zber fcrpvsvp.

I realised that. That's why I left it blank. Covid has fallen so much
of the news here, that no one is talking about pink eyes.
> * Game 2 (2023-05-15), Round 1 - Current Events
>
> 1. On Saturday, Sweden won the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Name
> the singer, who became the first woman to win the prize *twice*.

Loreen
> 3. The NHL draft Lottery was held on Monday night. Like previously
> named "Connor McDavid" and "Auston Matthews" drafts, this year's
> draft was named after what hot commodity?

That must be another Connor - I read about in the newspaper about an
hour ago. But I do recall his last name? No.
> 10. Ah, Internet theories! An untitled book known only as "4C
> Untitled Flatiron Nonfiction Summer 2023" was hovering around the
> top of some major US sales/presales charts. Its rapid rise was
> attributed to a rumor that it was written by which pop artist?

Brian May

On 5/18/23 00:48, Mark Brader wrote:
>
>
> * Game 1 (2023-05-08), Round 1 - Current Events
>
> 1. Let's start things off with that which brought us to a screeching
> halt three years ago. On Friday, the WHO declared the COVID
> emergency over. However, what is the name of the current
> subvariant of interest, which has been associated with pink-eye?

Arcturus

>
> 2. It was announced this week that U of T professor and AI pioneer
> Geoffrey Hinton quit his job, warning, "It is hard to see how
> you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things".
> Which employer did he leave?
>
> 3. Canadian Tire was certainly in the news last week. They
> announced both a partnership with Petro-Canada, and that they
> were acquiring the leases for 10 locations formerly occupied
> by what American retailer, which filed for bankruptcy earlier
> this year?
>
> 4. The fallout from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank continued
> this week. Which bank was seized on Monday by regulators and
> sold to JPMorgan Chase?

First Republic Bank

>
> 5. The Calgary Flames fired their head coach this week. Who was he?
> It was his second stint with the Flames. He has also won two
> Stanley Cups as head coach of the L.A. Kings, in the 2011-12
> and 2013-14 seasons.
>
> 6. The 149th edition of the Kentucky Derby was not without
> controversy. A record number of horses, including the favorite,
> were scratched from the main race; and in the week leading up to
> the race, a number of horses died, some from mysterious causes.
> Within 1, how many horses died in the week leading up to the
> Kentucky Derby?

7

>
> 7. The inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2023
> were announced on Wednesday. Please name any one on the list
> from the Performer category -- the main category.
>
> 8. Sundown came this week for what 84-year-old Canadian
> singer-songwriter? He was a pioneer in folk, rock, pop, and
> country music who wrote hundreds of songs for himself and many
> other artists, but arguably he will be best remembered for the
> tale of a Lake Superior shipwreck.

Gordon Lightfoot

>
> 9. On Tuesday, which Saskatchewan community became the first of
> the Dakota First Nations to sign a treaty with Canada? This
> treaty formally recognizes the community as Indigenous people of
> Canada, and acknowledges their inherent right to self-governance?
>
> 10. The signature dish served at coronation of the late
> Queen Elizabeth II was Coronation Chicken, a chicken salad
> which became ubiquitous in England. Only time will tell if
> King Charles III's choice of signature dish for his coronation
> will achieve a similar status. Name that dish.

poutine ? wait, isn't this the Canadiana round?

>
> After completing the round, please decode the rot13: Ba gur svefg
> dhrfgvba, gur nafjre vf n fhoinevnag bs Bzvpeba. Fb vs lbh fnvq
> Bzvpeba, cyrnfr tb onpx naq or zber fcrpvsvp.
>
>
> * Game 2 (2023-05-15), Round 1 - Current Events
>
> 1. On Saturday, Sweden won the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Name
> the singer, who became the first woman to win the prize *twice*.
>
> 2. The video game "Tears of the Kingdom" was released on May 12,
> with devoted fans everywhere lining up days before to get their
> copy. This is the 29th entry in this beloved, 37-year-old,
> Nintendo-only series of games. Name this franchise.
>
> 3. The NHL draft Lottery was held on Monday night. Like previously
> named "Connor McDavid" and "Auston Matthews" drafts, this year's
> draft was named after what hot commodity?
>
> 4. The Leafs are out of the playoffs again, losing game 5 in
> overtime. Name the Florida Panther who scored the goal that
> ended the Leafs' season.
>
> 5. On Monday, the Federal government revealed the new design for
> the Canadian Royal Crown that sits atop the Canada Coat of Arms.
> It replaces religious symbols like crosses and fleur-de-lis
> with more traditional Canadian symbols. Name one of the two
> prominent new symbols.

maple leaf

>
> 6. This week, Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei was declared persona non
> grata due to alleged attempts to intimidate a Conservative MP.
> Name that MP.
>
> 7. Earlier this week, the Globe And Mail reported that Canada is
> interested in joining what currently trilateral security pact?
>
> 8. On Wednesday, every province except Alberta and Quebec
> participated in a test of Canada's national public-alert system.
> What is the name of the system?
>
> 9. On Monday, what Juno-winning Canadian band announced they are
> breaking up after 27 years? They will finish their current
> tour and release a final double album, after which we'll just
> have to see how their individual parts fare.
>
> 10. Ah, Internet theories! An untitled book known only as "4C
> Untitled Flatiron Nonfiction Summer 2023" was hovering around the
> top of some major US sales/presales charts. Its rapid rise was
> attributed to a rumor that it was written by which pop artist?
>

--
Dan Tilque

Mark Brader <msb@vex.net> wrote:

> * Game 1 (2023-05-08), Round 1 - Current Events

> 2. It was announced this week that U of T professor and AI pioneer
> Geoffrey Hinton quit his job, warning, "It is hard to see how
> you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things".
> Which employer did he leave?

OpenAI; Google

> 3. Canadian Tire was certainly in the news last week. They
> announced both a partnership with Petro-Canada, and that they
> were acquiring the leases for 10 locations formerly occupied
> by what American retailer, which filed for bankruptcy earlier
> this year?

Sears

> 6. The 149th edition of the Kentucky Derby was not without
> controversy. A record number of horses, including the favorite,
> were scratched from the main race; and in the week leading up to
> the race, a number of horses died, some from mysterious causes.
> Within 1, how many horses died in the week leading up to the
> Kentucky Derby?

4

> 7. The inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2023
> were announced on Wednesday. Please name any one on the list
> from the Performer category -- the main category.

Kate Bush

> 8. Sundown came this week for what 84-year-old Canadian
> singer-songwriter? He was a pioneer in folk, rock, pop, and
> country music who wrote hundreds of songs for himself and many
> other artists, but arguably he will be best remembered for the
> tale of a Lake Superior shipwreck.

Gordon Lightfoot

> * Game 2 (2023-05-15), Round 1 - Current Events

> 2. The video game "Tears of the Kingdom" was released on May 12,
> with devoted fans everywhere lining up days before to get their
> copy. This is the 29th entry in this beloved, 37-year-old,
> Nintendo-only series of games. Name this franchise.

Legend of Zelda

> 5. On Monday, the Federal government revealed the new design for
> the Canadian Royal Crown that sits atop the Canada Coat of Arms.
> It replaces religious symbols like crosses and fleur-de-lis
> with more traditional Canadian symbols. Name one of the two
> prominent new symbols.

maple leaf

> 7. Earlier this week, the Globe And Mail reported that Canada is
> interested in joining what currently trilateral security pact?

ANZUS

--
_______________________________________________________________________
Dan Blum tool@panix.com
"I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't just made it up."

On Thursday, May 18, 2023 at 3:49:06 AM UTC-4, Mark Brader wrote:
> And now, current-events Questions from the Canadian Inquisition
> by Bloor St. Irregulars in 2023! (I'll update my introductory
> companion posting later, but I wanted to get this set out as
> fast as possible.)

*squee!*

>
> 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 Bloor St. Irregulars 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 (currently tagged RQFTCICR14).
>
>
> * Game 1 (2023-05-08), Round 1 - Current Events
>
> 1. Let's start things off with that which brought us to a screeching
> halt three years ago. On Friday, the WHO declared the COVID
> emergency over. However, what is the name of the current
> subvariant of interest, which has been associated with pink-eye?

arcturus (aka xbb.1.16)

> 2. It was announced this week that U of T professor and AI pioneer
> Geoffrey Hinton quit his job, warning, "It is hard to see how
> you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things".
> Which employer did he leave?

google

> 3. Canadian Tire was certainly in the news last week. They
> announced both a partnership with Petro-Canada, and that they
> were acquiring the leases for 10 locations formerly occupied
> by what American retailer, which filed for bankruptcy earlier
> this year?

bed, bath & beyond

> 4. The fallout from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank continued
> this week. Which bank was seized on Monday by regulators and
> sold to JPMorgan Chase?

first republic bank

> 5. The Calgary Flames fired their head coach this week. Who was he?
> It was his second stint with the Flames. He has also won two
> Stanley Cups as head coach of the L.A. Kings, in the 2011-12
> and 2013-14 seasons.

darryl sutter

> 6. The 149th edition of the Kentucky Derby was not without
> controversy. A record number of horses, including the favorite,
> were scratched from the main race; and in the week leading up to
> the race, a number of horses died, some from mysterious causes.
> Within 1, how many horses died in the week leading up to the
> Kentucky Derby?

7

> 7. The inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2023
> were announced on Wednesday. Please name any one on the list
> from the Performer category -- the main category.

kate bush ; willie nelson

> 8. Sundown came this week for what 84-year-old Canadian
> singer-songwriter? He was a pioneer in folk, rock, pop, and
> country music who wrote hundreds of songs for himself and many
> other artists, but arguably he will be best remembered for the
> tale of a Lake Superior shipwreck.

gordon lightfoot (twas the witch of november come stealin')

> 9. On Tuesday, which Saskatchewan community became the first of
> the Dakota First Nations to sign a treaty with Canada? This
> treaty formally recognizes the community as Indigenous people of
> Canada, and acknowledges their inherent right to self-governance?

whitecap dakota?

> 10. The signature dish served at coronation of the late
> Queen Elizabeth II was Coronation Chicken, a chicken salad
> which became ubiquitous in England. Only time will tell if
> King Charles III's choice of signature dish for his coronation
> will achieve a similar status. Name that dish.

quiche

> After completing the round, please decode the rot13: On the first
> question, the answer is a subvariant of Omicron. So if you said
> Omicron, please go back and be more specific.
>
>
> * Game 2 (2023-05-15), Round 1 - Current Events
>
> 1. On Saturday, Sweden won the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Name
> the singer, who became the first woman to win the prize *twice*.

loreen

> 2. The video game "Tears of the Kingdom" was released on May 12,
> with devoted fans everywhere lining up days before to get their
> copy. This is the 29th entry in this beloved, 37-year-old,
> Nintendo-only series of games. Name this franchise.

legend of zelda

> 3. The NHL draft Lottery was held on Monday night. Like previously
> named "Connor McDavid" and "Auston Matthews" drafts, this year's
> draft was named after what hot commodity?

connor bedard

> 4. The Leafs are out of the playoffs again, losing game 5 in
> overtime. Name the Florida Panther who scored the goal that
> ended the Leafs' season.

nick cousins

> 5. On Monday, the Federal government revealed the new design for
> the Canadian Royal Crown that sits atop the Canada Coat of Arms.
> It replaces religious symbols like crosses and fleur-de-lis
> with more traditional Canadian symbols. Name one of the two
> prominent new symbols.

maple leafs ; snowflake

> 6. This week, Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei was declared persona non
> grata due to alleged attempts to intimidate a Conservative MP.
> Name that MP.

chong

> 7. Earlier this week, the Globe And Mail reported that Canada is
> interested in joining what currently trilateral security pact?

aukus

> 8. On Wednesday, every province except Alberta and Quebec
> participated in a test of Canada's national public-alert system.
> What is the name of the system?

alert ready?

> 9. On Monday, what Juno-winning Canadian band announced they are
> breaking up after 27 years? They will finish their current
> tour and release a final double album, after which we'll just
> have to see how their individual parts fare.

sum 41

> 10. Ah, Internet theories! An untitled book known only as "4C
> Untitled Flatiron Nonfiction Summer 2023" was hovering around the
> top of some major US sales/presales charts. Its rapid rise was
> attributed to a rumor that it was written by which pop artist?

taylor swift

> --
> Mark Brader | "It is, in fact, a very good rule to be especially suspicious
> Toronto | of work that says what you want to hear..."
> m...@vex.net | --Paul Krugman
>
> My text in this article is in the public domain.

swp, whose legend lives on from the chippewa on down

Mark Brader wrote:
> And now, current-events Questions from the Canadian Inquisition
> by Bloor St. Irregulars in 2023! (I'll update my introductory
> companion posting later, but I wanted to get this set out as
> fast as possible.)
>
>
> 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 Bloor St. Irregulars 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 (currently tagged RQFTCICR14).
>
>
> * Game 1 (2023-05-08), Round 1 - Current Events
>
> 1. Let's start things off with that which brought us to a screeching
> halt three years ago. On Friday, the WHO declared the COVID
> emergency over. However, what is the name of the current
> subvariant of interest, which has been associated with pink-eye?

Rotavirus

>
> 2. It was announced this week that U of T professor and AI pioneer
> Geoffrey Hinton quit his job, warning, "It is hard to see how
> you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things".
> Which employer did he leave?

Google

>
> 3. Canadian Tire was certainly in the news last week. They
> announced both a partnership with Petro-Canada, and that they
> were acquiring the leases for 10 locations formerly occupied
> by what American retailer, which filed for bankruptcy earlier
> this year?
>
> 4. The fallout from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank continued
> this week. Which bank was seized on Monday by regulators and
> sold to JPMorgan Chase?
>
> 5. The Calgary Flames fired their head coach this week. Who was he?
> It was his second stint with the Flames. He has also won two
> Stanley Cups as head coach of the L.A. Kings, in the 2011-12
> and 2013-14 seasons.

Sutter

>
> 6. The 149th edition of the Kentucky Derby was not without
> controversy. A record number of horses, including the favorite,
> were scratched from the main race; and in the week leading up to
> the race, a number of horses died, some from mysterious causes.
> Within 1, how many horses died in the week leading up to the
> Kentucky Derby?

7

>
> 7. The inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2023
> were announced on Wednesday. Please name any one on the list
> from the Performer category -- the main category.
>
> 8. Sundown came this week for what 84-year-old Canadian
> singer-songwriter? He was a pioneer in folk, rock, pop, and
> country music who wrote hundreds of songs for himself and many
> other artists, but arguably he will be best remembered for the
> tale of a Lake Superior shipwreck.

Gordon Lightfoot

>
> 9. On Tuesday, which Saskatchewan community became the first of
> the Dakota First Nations to sign a treaty with Canada? This
> treaty formally recognizes the community as Indigenous people of
> Canada, and acknowledges their inherent right to self-governance?
>
> 10. The signature dish served at coronation of the late
> Queen Elizabeth II was Coronation Chicken, a chicken salad
> which became ubiquitous in England. Only time will tell if
> King Charles III's choice of signature dish for his coronation
> will achieve a similar status. Name that dish.
>
> After completing the round, please decode the rot13: Ba gur svefg
> dhrfgvba, gur nafjre vf n fhoinevnag bs Bzvpeba. Fb vs lbh fnvq
> Bzvpeba, cyrnfr tb onpx naq or zber fcrpvsvp.
>
>
> * Game 2 (2023-05-15), Round 1 - Current Events
>
> 1. On Saturday, Sweden won the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Name
> the singer, who became the first woman to win the prize *twice*.
>
> 2. The video game "Tears of the Kingdom" was released on May 12,
> with devoted fans everywhere lining up days before to get their
> copy. This is the 29th entry in this beloved, 37-year-old,
> Nintendo-only series of games. Name this franchise.
>
> 3. The NHL draft Lottery was held on Monday night. Like previously
> named "Connor McDavid" and "Auston Matthews" drafts, this year's
> draft was named after what hot commodity?
>
> 4. The Leafs are out of the playoffs again, losing game 5 in
> overtime. Name the Florida Panther who scored the goal that
> ended the Leafs' season.

Tkachuk

>
> 5. On Monday, the Federal government revealed the new design for
> the Canadian Royal Crown that sits atop the Canada Coat of Arms.
> It replaces religious symbols like crosses and fleur-de-lis
> with more traditional Canadian symbols. Name one of the two
> prominent new symbols.

Maple Leaf

>
> 6. This week, Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei was declared persona non
> grata due to alleged attempts to intimidate a Conservative MP.
> Name that MP.
>
> 7. Earlier this week, the Globe And Mail reported that Canada is
> interested in joining what currently trilateral security pact?
>
> 8. On Wednesday, every province except Alberta and Quebec
> participated in a test of Canada's national public-alert system.
> What is the name of the system?
>
> 9. On Monday, what Juno-winning Canadian band announced they are
> breaking up after 27 years? They will finish their current
> tour and release a final double album, after which we'll just
> have to see how their individual parts fare.

Rush

>
> 10. Ah, Internet theories! An untitled book known only as "4C
> Untitled Flatiron Nonfiction Summer 2023" was hovering around the
> top of some major US sales/presales charts. Its rapid rise was
> attributed to a rumor that it was written by which pop artist?
>

Pete Gayde

On Thursday, May 18, 2023 at 2:49:06 AM UTC-5, Mark Brader wrote:
> And now, current-events Questions from the Canadian Inquisition
> by Bloor St. Irregulars in 2023! (I'll update my introductory
> companion posting later, but I wanted to get this set out as
> fast as possible.)

Hurray!

> * Game 1 (2023-05-08), Round 1 - Current Events
>
> 6. The 149th edition of the Kentucky Derby was not without
> controversy. A record number of horses, including the favorite,
> were scratched from the main race; and in the week leading up to
> the race, a number of horses died, some from mysterious causes.
> Within 1, how many horses died in the week leading up to the
> Kentucky Derby?

7

> 7. The inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2023
> were announced on Wednesday. Please name any one on the list
> from the Performer category -- the main category.

Chaka Khan
> 8. Sundown came this week for what 84-year-old Canadian
> singer-songwriter? He was a pioneer in folk, rock, pop, and
> country music who wrote hundreds of songs for himself and many
> other artists, but arguably he will be best remembered for the
> tale of a Lake Superior shipwreck.

Gordon Lightfoot
> * Game 2 (2023-05-15), Round 1 - Current Events
>
> 2. The video game "Tears of the Kingdom" was released on May 12,
> with devoted fans everywhere lining up days before to get their
> copy. This is the 29th entry in this beloved, 37-year-old,
> Nintendo-only series of games. Name this franchise.

The Legend of Zelda
> 5. On Monday, the Federal government revealed the new design for
> the Canadian Royal Crown that sits atop the Canada Coat of Arms.
> It replaces religious symbols like crosses and fleur-de-lis
> with more traditional Canadian symbols. Name one of the two
> prominent new symbols.

snowflake
> 7. Earlier this week, the Globe And Mail reported that Canada is
> interested in joining what currently trilateral security pact?

ANZUS
> 10. Ah, Internet theories! An untitled book known only as "4C
> Untitled Flatiron Nonfiction Summer 2023" was hovering around the
> top of some major US sales/presales charts. Its rapid rise was
> attributed to a rumor that it was written by which pop artist?

Taylor Swift

--
Joshua Kreitzer
gromit82@hotmail.com

Mark Brader:
> And now, current-events Questions from the Canadian Inquisition
> by Bloor St. Irregulars in 2023! (I'll update my introductory
> companion posting later, but I wanted to get this set out as
> fast as possible.)
>
>
> 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.
>
> ... I will reveal the correct answers in about 3 days.
>
> The posting and tabulation of current-events questions is
> independent of the concurrent posting of other rounds.

As there's no game on Victoria Day, the next current-events set
should be in 3 weeks.

> * Game 1 (2023-05-08), Round 1 - Current Events

> 1. Let's start things off with that which brought us to a screeching
> halt three years ago. On Friday, the WHO declared the COVID
> emergency over. However, what is the name of the current
> subvariant of interest, which has been associated with pink-eye?

XBB.1.16 or Arcturus. 4 for Dan Tilque and Stephen (the hard way).

> 2. It was announced this week that U of T professor and AI pioneer
> Geoffrey Hinton quit his job, warning, "It is hard to see how
> you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things".
> Which employer did he leave?

Google. 4 for Erland, Stephen, and Pete. 3 for Dan Blum.

> 3. Canadian Tire was certainly in the news last week. They
> announced both a partnership with Petro-Canada, and that they
> were acquiring the leases for 10 locations formerly occupied
> by what American retailer, which filed for bankruptcy earlier
> this year?

Bed Bath and Beyond. 4 for Stephen.

> 4. The fallout from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank continued
> this week. Which bank was seized on Monday by regulators and
> sold to JPMorgan Chase?

First Republic. 4 for Dan Tilque and Stephen.

> 5. The Calgary Flames fired their head coach this week. Who was he?
> It was his second stint with the Flames. He has also won two
> Stanley Cups as head coach of the L.A. Kings, in the 2011-12
> and 2013-14 seasons.

Darryl Sutter. 4 for Stephen and Pete.

> 6. The 149th edition of the Kentucky Derby was not without
> controversy. A record number of horses, including the favorite,
> were scratched from the main race; and in the week leading up to
> the race, a number of horses died, some from mysterious causes.
> Within 1, how many horses died in the week leading up to the
> Kentucky Derby?

7 (accepting 6-8). 4 for Dan Tilque, Stephen, Pete, and Joshua.

> 7. The inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2023
> were announced on Wednesday. Please name any one on the list
> from the Performer category -- the main category.

George Michael, Kate Bush, Missy Elliott, Rage Against the Machine,.
Sheryl Crow, The Spinners, Willie Nelson. 4 for Dan Blum and Stephen
(the hard way).

> 8. Sundown came this week for what 84-year-old Canadian
> singer-songwriter? He was a pioneer in folk, rock, pop, and
> country music who wrote hundreds of songs for himself and many
> other artists, but arguably he will be best remembered for the
> tale of a Lake Superior shipwreck.

Gordon Lightfoot. ("The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald".) 4 for
everyone -- Erland, Dan Tilque, Dan Blum, Stephen, Pete, and Joshua.

> 9. On Tuesday, which Saskatchewan community became the first of
> the Dakota First Nations to sign a treaty with Canada? This
> treaty formally recognizes the community as Indigenous people of
> Canada, and acknowledges their inherent right to self-governance?

Whitecap Dakota First Nation. ("Whitecap" was sufficient.)
4 for Stephen.

> 10. The signature dish served at coronation of the late
> Queen Elizabeth II was Coronation Chicken, a chicken salad
> which became ubiquitous in England. Only time will tell if
> King Charles III's choice of signature dish for his coronation
> will achieve a similar status. Name that dish.

Quiche. (Anything with "quiche" was acceptable.) 4 for Stephen.

> * Game 2 (2023-05-15), Round 1 - Current Events

> 1. On Saturday, Sweden won the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Name
> the singer, who became the first woman to win the prize *twice*.

Loreen (or Lorine Zineb Nora Talhaoui), who previously won in 2012.
4 for Erland and Stephen.

> 2. The video game "Tears of the Kingdom" was released on May 12,
> with devoted fans everywhere lining up days before to get their
> copy. This is the 29th entry in this beloved, 37-year-old,
> Nintendo-only series of games. Name this franchise.

The Legend Of Zelda. ("Zelda" was sufficient.) 4 for Dan Blum,
Stephen, and Joshua.

> 3. The NHL draft Lottery was held on Monday night. Like previously
> named "Connor McDavid" and "Auston Matthews" drafts, this year's
> draft was named after what hot commodity?

Connor Bedard. Sorry, no points for "another Connor". 4 for Stephen.

> 4. The Leafs are out of the playoffs again, losing game 5 in
> overtime. Name the Florida Panther who scored the goal that
> ended the Leafs' season.

Nick Cousins. 4 for Stephen.

> 5. On Monday, the Federal government revealed the new design for
> the Canadian Royal Crown that sits atop the Canada Coat of Arms.
> It replaces religious symbols like crosses and fleur-de-lis
> with more traditional Canadian symbols. Name one of the two
> prominent new symbols.

Maple leaf, snowflake. 4 for Dan Tilque, Dan Blum, Stephen (the
hard way), Pete, and Joshua.

See: http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fvd67ZyXoAI9K7D?format=jpg

> 6. This week, Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei was declared persona non
> grata due to alleged attempts to intimidate a Conservative MP.
> Name that MP.

Michael Chong. 4 for Stephen.

> 7. Earlier this week, the Globe And Mail reported that Canada is
> interested in joining what currently trilateral security pact?

AUKUS -- Australia, UK, US. (So if we did join, would it become
"Caukus"?) 4 for Dan Blum and Stephen.

> 8. On Wednesday, every province except Alberta and Quebec
> participated in a test of Canada's national public-alert system.
> What is the name of the system?

Alert Ready. 4 for Stephen.

> 9. On Monday, what Juno-winning Canadian band announced they are
> breaking up after 27 years? They will finish their current
> tour and release a final double album, after which we'll just
> have to see how their individual parts fare.

Sum 41. 4 for Stephen.

> 10. Ah, Internet theories! An untitled book known only as "4C
> Untitled Flatiron Nonfiction Summer 2023" was hovering around the
> top of some major US sales/presales charts. Its rapid rise was
> attributed to a rumor that it was written by which pop artist?

Taylor Swift. 4 for Stephen and Joshua.

It wasn't; it was by Kang Myeongseok and BTS. Its actual title was
"Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS".

Scores, if there are no errors:

GAMES-> 1 2 TOTALS
Stephen Perry 40 40 80
Dan Blum 11 12 23
Joshua Kreitzer 8 12 20
Pete Gayde 16 4 20
Dan Tilque 16 4 20
Erland Sommarskog 8 4 12

--
Mark Brader | "And it's a moment in which there has never been
Toronto | a bigger ocean of [alphabet] soup from which
msb@vex.net | to draw letters." --Philip Bump

My text in this article is in the public domain.

Mark Brader <msb@vex.net> wrote:

> > 7. Earlier this week, the Globe And Mail reported that Canada is
> > interested in joining what currently trilateral security pact?

> AUKUS -- Australia, UK, US. (So if we did join, would it become
> "Caukus"?) 4 for Dan Blum and Stephen.

I think I actually answered "ANZUS".

--
_______________________________________________________________________
Dan Blum tool@panix.com
"I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't just made it up."

Mark Brader:
> > > 7. Earlier this week, the Globe And Mail reported that Canada is
> > > interested in joining what currently trilateral security pact?
>
> > AUKUS -- Australia, UK, US. (So if we did join, would it become
> > "Caukus"?) 4 for Dan Blum and Stephen.
Dan Blum:
> I think I actually answered "ANZUS".

Auk! So he did. I caught the same wrong answer from Joshua, but
mistake, but missed thie one. Probably I was distracted by Stephen's
broken shift key. No points for Dan here.

Corrected scores, if there are now no errors:

GAMES-> 1 2 TOTALS
Stephen Perry 40 40 80
Joshua Kreitzer 8 12 20
Pete Gayde 16 4 20
Dan Tilque 16 4 20
Dan Blum 11 8 19
Erland Sommarskog 8 4 12

--
Mark Brader, | "There is no silver bullet, because not every
Toronto, msb@vex.net | problem is a werewolf." -- Damian Conway

My text in this article is in the public domain.