The Third Annual Canada Day Quiz!

Canada Day is upon us again! Which means its time for Theresa and Randal’s annual Canada Day Quiz (Now 33% easier). After review, we think that our quiz last year was a little too difficult, which might make some of you Americans think that us Canadians derive some sort of pleasure from showing you how little you know about your northern neighbours. But really, this isn’t our intention at all. Basically, our quiz is meant to be fun, and to help us learn a little more about Canada (and Americans, don’t feel bad if you don’t know much about Canada – before we moved, I honestly didn’t even know where Virginia was). So, this year we have endeavored to make the quiz a little more manageable, without being too easy on you, of course. So enjoy. And Happy Canada Day!

Remember, you are not to look up answers on the internet. The correct responses will be given in the comments section. I invite everyone who takes the quiz to report your score in the comments section. The highest reported score will win a prize.

1. Canada has 2 national symbols. What are they?

  • A: Beaver & Maple Leaf
  • B: Maple Leaf & Moose
  • C: Hockey Stick & Grizzly Bear
  • D: Caribou & Salmon

2. Which of these were not invented by a Canadian?

  • A: Walkie-Talkie
  • B: Instant mashed potatoes
  • C: Toilet paper
  • D: Push-up bras

3. What Canadian television show is set at the Possum Lodge?

  • A: SCTV
  • B: The Red Green Show
  • C: Corner Gas
  • D: Kids in the Hall

4. What is the best selling album of all-time by a Canadian songwriter?

  • A: Alanis Morissette, Jagged Little Pill
  • B: Celine Dion, Let’s Talk About Love
  • C: Shania Twain, Come on Over
  • D: Bryan Adams, Waking up the Neighbours

5. Unfortunately, this year’s Stanley Cup champion team is not Canadian. However, their captain is. Who is he?

  • A: Nicklas Lidstrom
  • B: Alexander Ovechkin
  • C: Wayne Gretzky
  • D: Sidney Crosby

6: Current Opposition leader, Michael Ignatieff, has been criticized for spending most of his career at a foreign college. Which college was it?

  • A: Yale
  • B: London School of Economics
  • C: Harvard
  • D: Ecole Polytechnique

7. Finish this line: “Skinnamarink e-dink e-dink, skinnamarink e-doo…”

  • A: How do you do?
  • B: Coo-coo-cha-cho
  • C: Kan-g-roo
  • D: I love you

8. Which of the following does Canada not have the largest of?

  • A: Coastline
  • B: National Highway
  • C: Completed freestanding structure
  • D: Shopping Mall

9. In the midst of the global financial crisis, the economy of one province is reported to be the best in North America. Which province is the only one projected to see Economic growth in 2009?

  • A: Alberta
  • B: Saskatchewan
  • C: Ontario
  • D: Nova Scotia

10. Where would you most likely see this:

  • A: Vancouver
  • B: Regina
  • C: Montreal
  • D: Halifax

11. When did the United Empire Loyalists come to Canada?

  • A: 1602 to 1608
  • B: 1775 to 1783
  • C: 1860 to 1870
  • D: 1945 to 1960

12. Which Document Made Confederation legal?

  • A: The British North America Act
  • B: The Dominion Act
  • C: The Declaration of Independence
  • D: The Statute of Anne

13. The Canadian Government has recently begun negotiating a free trade agreement with which country/region?

  • A: China
  • B: Africa
  • C: The European Union
  • D: South America

14. Which of these is not one of the three parts of the Canadian Parliament?

  • A: The Senate
  • B: The House of Commons
  • C: The Prime Minister
  • D: The Queen

15. Which of the Prarie Provinces has the largest area?

  • A: Alberta
  • B: Saskatchewan
  • C: Manitoba
  • D: They are all exactly the same size

16. Which Canadian Indie Rock band is comprised of a loose collection of musicians, including members of Stars, Metric, Apostle of Hustle, and Feist?

  • A: The New Pornographers
  • B: Broken Social Scene
  • C: The Arcade Fire
  • D: Godspeed You! Black Emperor

17. What was the name of the ingenious combination of dried meat and berries that First Nations and Metis people produced to feed the fur traders during their long voyages into and out of the Canadian interior.

  • A: Pemmican
  • B: Beavertail
  • C: Bison Burger
  • D: Bannock

18. Canada is part of the voluntary association of countries which used to belong to the British Empire. What is this association called?

  • A: The G8
  • B: The Old Empire Club
  • C: The Commonweath of Nations
  • D: The EU

19. Which Canadian won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for his work establishing the first UN Peacekeeping mission to resolve the Suez Crisis?

  • A: Kofi Annan
  • B: Robert Borden
  • C: Geddy Lee
  • D: Lester B. Pearson

20. Who is pictured here on the right?

  • A: Sir John A McDonald
  • B: Pierre E. Trudeau
  • C: Jean Chretien
  • D: Che Guevara

BONUS QUESTION: Which of the Garneau District Album Club’s album selections have been Canadian? (For this – and only this – question, feel free to look up the answer by visiting the album club website)

New Album Club Activity

Hey everyone.  Head over to the album club website to read our reviews of last month’s album, Grizzly Bear’s Vecktamist, and add your own thoughts.  We’ve also added a new poll, so you can let us know what you thought of the album with one click.  And of course, make sure you visit the album club to find out what July’s pick will be!

Theresa’s New Blog

After remaining firmly aloof from the blogosphere for so long, Theresa has recently jumped on board.  The reason?  Well, since I am busier with my Bar exam preparations than I have probably ever been, Theresa has taken up a few hobbies, mostly of the crafty variety.  So, in order to show off her projects and share how she did them, she has undertaken the maintenance of her own DIY blog.  Head over to check it out at: http://www.theresa-renee.blogspot.com/

I Hate BarBri

I hate my bar review course. Not only is it a tonne of work without a single day rest, but it is a tonne of incredibly boring and tedious work. But it will only be for a couple of months, and there are occasional moments of mirth. This video is actually not that far off the real thing:

So yeah, if you are wondering what I am doing it is studying. Studying like I have never studied before. I’ll try to get a post or two up when I have time, so don’t give up on this blog completely (or on the new Album Club Website, which I will be updating throughout the month with music related posts)

Album Club’s New Website

So, the Album Club has grown up and moved away from home.  Peter and I are pleased to announce the Album Culb’s New Website: www.garneaualbumclub.wordpress.com.  We invite everyone to come over and check it out.  Not only will it continue to post the introduction and analysis posts about each month’s albums, but Peter and I will also be posting regular pieces about music in general: new music that we like, songs that we would like to share and things of that nature.  And remember to listen to this month’s artist – I’d love to hear what you all think of it

AC June: Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

On virtually every music blog (including, now, this one), Grizzly Bear’s new album is mentioned in conjunction to Animal Colective’s Merriwhether Post Pavilion.  But the two albums are nothing alike.  The reason, then, that these albums are mentioned together is that there has arisen a feud between different factions within indie-rock community; the defining difference separating these two factions being their preference of Grizzly Bear over Animal Collective or vice versa.  You see, both these records were anticipated to an almost ridiculous degree and have enjoyed remarkable critical acclaim, which means thatat this point it appears like virtually all upcoming “best of 2009″ lists will boil down to a two-way contest between these two amazing albums.  Accordingly,  the comment sections of many music blogs are filled with fans penning inspiring comparisons, such as “Grizzly Bear > MPP”  or “AC >> GB”.  In fact, although these albums are about as different as you can get within the sphere of indie rock, disputes over the comparative qualities of them has inundated the Internet’s indie music forums to an almost unbearable degree, and has even made its way into the Miller household (Theresa prefers Grizzly Bear, and I – at least at this point – am an Animal Collective man).

But lets let the music do the talking.  We have already featured Merriwheather Post Pavilion.  Now, lets listen to Veckatimest and decide which each of us prefers.

PS – it has come to my attention that our LaLa account doesn’t work in Canada.  Therefore, until I can find a new way to allow you to listen to this album for free, you could listen to the songs the band has posted on MySpace, or on their website.  Sorry for the inconvenience.  

Download the track, Cheerleader.

Dark Days / Light Years: Analysis

Dark Days/Light Years is a very interesting album for me, in that I sincerely like the music, yet don’t ever really feel inclined to listen too it.  I guess that is what they made iPod playlists for.

First of all.  In his introductory post for DD/LY, Peter talked a little about how it was the cover art that first attracted him to this album; he said something along the lines of “you can judge a book by its cover.”  Well, I think this record makes a strong argument that you really can.  So, if you have net had the pleasure of listening to Super Furry Animals, just look at the album cover and image what the audio representation of that art would be.  That image conveys the essence of DD/LY much better than I ever could ever. 

That being said, lets get into the music.  To me, it seems like DD/LY is and album out of its time.  When most contemporary indie rock is attempting to be hip, innovative and meaningful, SFA puts out a bouncy, psychedelic romp of an album full of catchy, playful songs that seem to me completely devoid of any deeper significance.  But that is what makes SFA so fun: they certainly seem like a band who is just out to enjoy themselves and craft bouncy, uplifting and enjoyable pop-rock.  Their ethos seems to conform more with the 1960 than the 2000s, which is probably why this quality album has been all-but ignored (I mean, even my own opening sentence admitted that I haven’t given it the attention it deserves).

Another thing that makes SFA so fun is their lyrics.  Most of their songs are completely ridiculous.  One song is about crazy naked girls, another sings about wearing white socks with flip flops, and that hilarious German voice-over in Inaugural Trams – Hilarious.  To me, SFA is one small step away from being a comedic band (a la Flight of the Conchords).  The only thing saving them is the musicianship – most comedic performers don’t own a style as well as SFA or write and play such great music.

So bottem line: DD/LY is a fun album.  The melodies are well crafted and catchy and the lyrics are funny, which makes for a delightful listen.  SFA has made an entertaining album that is not trying to be anything other than that.  So, if you are in the mood for some lighthearted music, DD/LY is for you.  Unfortunately, I think I may be more serious that I would like to be, since, as I mentioned, I have not gravitated much to Dark Days/Light Years.

Randal Miller, J.D.

Tweeting from the Big Apple

I recently read an article that blogs are already obsolete – the future belongs to twitter.  You see, blogs are just too wordy.  Today’s audiences want their information in even shorter bits than blogs provide.  I guess asking people to read more than 144 characters is a little much.  So, to make things a little easier on you, I’ll report my recent New York trip as if I had been tweeting it while there.

05/08/09: We’re here: NY!  It’s kind of dumpy.  Traffic not so bad.  Is there anything in Times Square besides gift shops?

05/09/09: Central Park is huge!  Can almost forget we’re in the largest city in the US.  Rowboating a nice diversion.  My feet hurt.

 05/10/09: Avoided Statue of Liberty lines.  Her face looks like a man.   Theresa’s the latest immigrant to visit Ellis Island.  NY pizza = yummy.

05/11/09: Natural History museum: good.  The Met: better.  Broady play for $20!  Lesser-known play, but very witty.  Mathew Broderick stars.

05/12/09: Tour NBC Studios – SNL set amazingly small.  Shopping on 5th  St – Theresa loves it!  Colbert Report!  Thanks Holly for the tix!

So there you have it.  I hope it wasn’t too much, since there was five whole tweets in a row.  Here are a couple of pictures.  If you want to see the whole set, click here.

 

Boating in Central Park

Boating in Central Park

 

The Manhattan Skyline

The Manhattan Skyline

 

Restrict All Immigration!

Restrict All Immigration!

NY Pizza by the Slice

NY Pizza by the Slice

 

The Colbert Report

The Colbert Report

Law School By the Numbers

“Therefore, the Somali pirates should not be given POW status.” With the final keystroke in this sentence, the last from my international law exam yesterday, another phase in my life stands completed. Yes, I have completed law school. The full effect of this fact has not fully sunk in yet, but I certainly found myself wandering aimlessly around my apartment this morning, unsure of what to do. So of course, I turn to my usual activity when I am otherwise at a loss for ways to keep my hands and mind out of the devil’s workshop: blogging. But instead of waxing sentimental about my time here at UVa, I’ll get straight to the facts, as all good lawyers do:

  • Years at UVa: 3
  • Credits earned: 86
  • Number of classes taken: 31
  • Number of finals written: 22
  • Number of memos/papers written:8
  • Number of oral arguments made: 13
  • Number of mock trials: 1
  • Number of mock trials won: 1
  • Number of dollars spent on tuition/fees: too many
  • W-L Record as RELLS Softball coach: 2-12
  • Number of Job Interviews/Callbacks: 54
  • Number of free t-shirts: 18
  • Number of rock concerts attended: 13
  • Furthest driven to attend a concert: 272 miles (438 km)
  • Drama productions attended: 8
  • Number of apartments lived in: 3
  • Number of miles driven to move to these apartments: 8099 (13,034 km)
  • Number of Bar Reviews (weekly bar nights) attended: 0
  • Number of miles between UVa an nearest immediate relative: 2225 (3,581 km)
  • Number of states visited while in law school: 21
  • Number of blog posts written: 212
  • Number of people who read my posts: probably 2 or 3
  • Number of hours of Libel Show watched: 8 1/2
  • Number of babies born into our family, despite near constant inquiries: 0
  • Number of visitors hosted: 14
  • Number of dollars spent at the law school cafeteria: 0
  • Number of months without from Theresa because of immigration problems: 4
  • Jobs Theresa has held: 3

Three Favourite Professors:
Jeffries
Harrison
Macgill

Three Favourite Classes (based on substance):
Advanced Issues in Intellectual Property Policy
Genetics and the Law
Trial Advocacy

Three things I will miss most about Law School:
The friends
Softball
Charlottesville