1) Two weeks ago, Ed Stafford became the first man in history to do what?
a) Walk the entire length of the Amazon River
You can follow his two and a half year trek on www.walkingtheamazon.com.
2) On Tuesday August 10, the House of Representatives passed (and Pres. Obama signed) a $26 billion spending bill. Which of the following is the best description of the bill?
b) Money to states to re-hire laid off teachers and fund state Medicaid obligations
The bill passed primarily along party lines in both the House and Senate, with Democrats generally supporting and Republicans generally opposed. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/10/AR2010081000398.html
3) On Monday August 9, former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens and four others died in a plane crash. What state did Stevens represent for 40 years?
d) Alaska
Former NASA director Sean O’ Keefe was also on the flight but survived. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2010/08/10/ST2010081002732.html?sid=ST2010081002732
4) Steven Slater was arrested recently and charged with felony counts of criminal mischief and reckless endangerment. Specifically, what did he do to bring about the charges?
c) Exited a plane through the emergency chute as it taxied on the runway.
Mr. Slater -- a Jetblue flight attendant who had recently argued with a passenger who would not follow his safety instructions – cursed out the passenger on the P.A. system and then grabbed a beer for the road before making his dramatic exit.
https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/10/nyregion/10attendant.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=jet%20blue&st=cse
5) Last week, this former Major League baseball player was indicted for allegedly lying to Congress when he testified in 2008 that he had never used performance enhancing drugs. Who is he?
d) Roger Clemens
Clemens finished his major league career with 354 wins and was named to the All-Century team in 1999.
https://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2010/08/20/clemens_indicted_for_drug_denials/
6) Last week, the last American combat forces left this country. What country?
a) Iraq
American combat troops have been in Iraq since March 2003 with approximately 4,400 Americans having died there. Approximately 50,000 American troops remain in a non-combat role.
https://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/08/ap-iraq-last-combat-brigade-leaves-country-081810/
7) What type product was recently recalled as a result of an outbreak of salmonella?
c) Eggs
Approximately 500 million eggs from two Iowa farms are potentially tainted. https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38741401/ns/health-food_safety
8) What country began loading fuel into its first nuclear power plant last week?
b) Iran
Russia has agreed to safeguard the plant to insure that the plant produces electricity, not weapons. The plant will not be fully operational for months.
https://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/21/ap/middleeast/main6793118.shtml
9) This country had a cliffhanger national election last week and the outcome is still in doubt. What country?
b) Australia
In dispute is whether the Labor or Liberal party will be in charge. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/21/AR2010082100665.html
10) The Obama Administration announced last week that environmental reviews are now required before companies can do what?
a) Drill for oil in deep water
https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/17/science/earth/17drill.html?_r=1
There is temporarily a total moratorium on deepwater drilling. The environmental review requirement will remain even after the current ban is lifted.
11) A US District Court Judge in what state recently ruled that it violates the U.S. Constitution to prevent a gay couple from marrying?
c) California
The appeal of that ruling will be heard December 6 by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. After the Appeals Court rules, the case will likely be appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States.
https://articles.latimes.com/2010/aug/05/local/la-me-gay-marriage-california-20100805
12) A new study shows that 1 in 5 American teens has what?
a) Slight hearing loss
The findings are thought to be related to increased use of MP3 players among teens. https://www.wavy.com/dpps/news/us_news/midwest/teen-hearing-loss-rising-in-us-nt10-jgr_3553146
13) Former Gov Rod Blagojevich was convicted on only 1 of 24 counts brought against him by the federal government. Blagojevich was formerly the governor of what state?
b) Illinois
One of the counts on which the jury could not reach a decision involved an alleged attempt to sell Pres. Obama’s vacated Senate seat to the highest bidder. The jurors apparently deadlocked on that count 11-1. https://abcnews.go.com/US/rod-blagojevich-trial-guilty-24-counts-holdout-jury/story?id=11426083
14) The Obama administration announced recently that it is going to ease restrictions on travel to what country?
d) Cuba
The new rules will also make it easier for Americans to send money to Cuba.
https://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/08/18/us.cuba.travel/index.html
15) What company – 61% of whose stock is currently owned by the US government – is planning to offer a stock sale to the public in the fall?
b) GM
The government bought shares of GM to keep it afloat last year. It is hoped that the stock offering will substantially reduce, if not eliminate, the government’s ownership stake in GM.
https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100819/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gm_ipo
16) What economic indicator reached its highest level sine November last week?
a) Jobless claims
The unemployment rate is currently 9.5%.
17) In an effort to cut costs in his department, Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently announced that he intends to close what high-tech military training operation in Norfolk, Virginia?
a) Joint Forces Command
https://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2009535,00.html
The Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) was designed to coordinate the decisions and activities of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines and has an annual budget of approximately 240 million dollars. As a result of the closure, the Hampton Roads area is projected to lose approximately 6,000 jobs, most of which are civilian contractor jobs.