Mark Brader:
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... For further information
please see my recent companion posting on "Questions from the
Canadian Inquisition (QFTCI*)".
* Game 9 (2026-03-16), Round 1 - Current Events
1. A judge in the US federal court for the District of Columbia
overruled 1,000 mass layoffs that occurred last year at a
federally funded broadcast operation. Name that news group.
Voice of America. 4_for Dan_Blum, Joshua, and_Dan_Tilque.
2. "Well, it's 1... 2... 3... What're we fighting for? Don't ask
me, I don't give a damn, the next stop is Viet Nam." The man
who sang those words at Woodstock died last week of Parkinson's
at age 84. Name him.
"Country Joe" McDonald. 4_for Joshua.
3. On Friday, the Toronto Zoo allowed visitors their first chance
to view one of the attraction's newest members, born Feb. 22.
There's also an online poll to name the baby. What kind of
animal is it?
(Masai) giraffe.
See:
http://www.torontozoo.com/!/img/event/26/giraffe-3.webp
4. What goes up... On Thursday NASA announced all systems were Go
for the launch of Artemis 2, the first spacecraft to take humans
beyond Earth orbit and all the way to the Moon (without landing)
since 1972. Within a day, what is the earliest date on which
the rocket will launch?
April 1 (accepting March_31 - April 2). 4_for Dan_Tilque.
5. Must come down! A fireball streaked across northwestern Europe
during twilight last Sunday. Where it fell, it caused some
property damage, with the largest piece crashing through the
roof of a house. In which country did it fall?
Germany (in Koblenz, to be specific). 4_for Dan_Tilque.
6. On Tuesday, Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat scored 83 points,
the second-most ever in an NBA game. Then on Thursday, Canada's
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma Thunder broke an NBA
record by scoring 20 or more points in each pf 127 consecutive
regular-season games. What deceased player still holds the
first record, but no longer the second?
Wilt Chamberlain (100 points in one game). 4_for Joshua
and_Dan_Tilque.
7. Last Sunday, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced three
byelections for April 13 that could give his government
a majority. Name *any one* of the three Liberal *candidates*.
Tatiana Auguste in Terrebonne, Doly Begum in Scarborough Southwest,
Dr. Danielle Martin in University-rosedale.
8. And speaking of majorities, the 4-year-old Rastriya Swatantra
Party (RSP), led by 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician Balendra
Shah, has achieved a sweeping majority in this Asian country,
its electoral commission announced Thursday. Name the country.
Nepal. 4_for Erland and_Dan_Blum. 3_for Joshua.
9. As the war in the Middle East rages on -- or is already over,
as Trump has said -- the price of oil is on the rise, and many
countries have released some of their emergency oil reserves.
Canada is the only G7 nation not to have one. We're exempt: why?
Canada is a net exporter of oil. 4_for Dan_Tilque.
10. A delegation of chiefs from Canada's Treaty 6 First Nations
met last week with someone to discuss, among other things,
the threat of Alberta separatism. Who did they have an
audience with?
King Charles III.
* Game 10 (2026-03-23), Round 1 - Current Events
1. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre sat down for a more than
2-hour-long interview of the "Joe Rogan Experience" this week.
Poilievre gave the prodcast host a gift painted with a maple
leaf. What was it? Be sufficiently specific.
Kettlebell.
2. This actor, who starred in the TV series "Walker, Texas Ranger",
died last week at age 86. Name him.
Chuck Norris. 4_for Dan_Blum, Joshua, and_Dan_Tilque.
3. The Ontario government announced plans to introduce measures
affecting the sale of tickes for sports and entertainment events.
What is the change?
Resale of tickets above the original price (scalping) will be
illegal again.
4. Kraft Heinz announced it is launching a new version of Kraft
Dinner that will roll out in the US in the spring, and in Canada
at some unspecified date. What is different about this version?
More protein and more fiber. (Accepting either part.)
5. What appropriate and adorable animal was found last week amid
the plush toys at an airport gift shop in Hobart, Australia?
Possum.
I might argue with both "appropriate" and "adorable", but in context...
see:
http://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/62/2026/03/Possum-found-in-airport.jpeg
6. William Shatner, who turned 95 on Sunday, last week released
a video urging his fans to change their diet. What was Shatner
recommending we boldly stop consuming?
Meat. 4_for Joshua.
7. The Strait of Hormuz has been all over the news this past week.
The natural chokepoint through which 1/5 of the world's oil
flows, it connects the Persian Gulf on one side with what gulf
on the other?
Gulf of Oman. 4_for Erland and_Dan_Tilque.
The Gulf of Aden is next to the *other* south corner of the Arabian
Peninsula.
8. Last week, Health Canada issued a recall notice for a Tim
Hortons product, of which more than 25,000 had been sold
in Canada. What product?
Pink and white color-changing doughnut coffee mug.
It can crack when being filled, presenting a burn hazard.
9. Last week marked the release of the annual World Happiness
Report from the Wellbeing Research Centre at Oxford University.
Canada's happiness ranking slipped again, down to #25 from #18
last year (and #5 back in 2014). What country ranked #1 for
the 9th year in a row?
Finland. 4_for Erland and_Dan_Tilque.
10. Two people were charged Saturday after they tried to enter
His Majesty's Naval Base Clyde in Scotland. Which British
naval asset does the base house?
Nuclear-armed (accepting nuclear) submarines.
Scores, if there are no errors:
GAMES-> 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 BEST EIGHT Joshua Kreitzer 12 24 25 20 30 28 20 16 15 8 178
Dan Tilque 16 12 8 12 26 19 12 12 20 12 129
Pete Gayde 15 16 4 16 23 24 12 12 -- -- 122
Dan Blum 0 16 12 4 19 12 12 8 8 4 91
Erland Sommarskog 8 8 8 12 8 24 12 4 4 8 88 "Gallaxial" -- -- 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- 0
--
Mark Brader | I fear what might happen if, like Skynet, the
Toronto | Republican Party ever became self-aware.
msb@vex.net | --D.F. Manno
My text in this article is in the public domain.
--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
