NOVEMBER 22 QUIZ ANSWERS
1) British Prince William recently got engaged. What woman is he going to marry?
b) Kate Middleton
The couple will marry in 2011. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/16/AR2010111601490.html
2) November 22 is the 47th anniversary of what pivotal event in American history?
c) The assassination of John Kennedy
A new book – The Kennedy Detail -- gives a detailed account of the assassination from the point of view of the Secret Service agents on duty in Dallas that day. https://www.cnn.com/2010/US/11/22/jfk.anniversary.agents/index.html?hpt=C1
3) What longtime New York Congressman was convicted by a House of Representatives subcommittee last week on 11 charges of ethics violations?
d) Charles Rangel
The 80 year old Rangel was recently re-elected to his 21st term in the House. The subcommittee recommended a formal censure as his punishment.
https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/17/nyregion/17rangel.html
4) President Obama is currently pressuring the Senate to ratify a treaty he negotiated last year. President Obama negotiated the treaty with what country?
c) Russia
The treaty would reduce the nuclear arsenals of both countries and would also allow the two countries to inspect each other’s nuclear arsenals. Because treaties require 67 votes for ratification, Pres. Obama needs to win the votes of at least eight GOP Senators if the treaty is to be ratified before the end of the year. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/17/world/europe/17start.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
5) Last week, the Senate approved a $1.15 billion settlement in a discrimination case filed against the United States government by what group?
a) African-American and Native American farmers
The case was filed against the government in 1997.
https://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/11/19/black.farmers/index.html
6) Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and agency head John Pistole testified before Congress last week about controversial new procedures put in place by Mr. Pistole’s agency. What agency does he head up?
b) Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
The controversy involves new TSA passenger “pat down” procedures that many claim are an invasion of privacy. https://abcnews.go.com/Travel/tsa-john-pistole-chief-defends-patdown-procedure-congress/story?id=12162454
7) At a NATO summit last week, Pres. Obama said he wants to see an end to U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan by what year?
c) 2014
At the same summit, NATO agreed on a plan to turn over all security operations to Afghans by the same year. The U.S. currently has 100,000 combat troops in Afghanistan while there are approximately 40,000 troops there from other nations.
8) Congressional Republicans have agreed to a voluntary ban on the use of federal money for the pet spending projects of particular legislators. What is the common name given to these types of expenditures, which tend to only benefit a particular district or state?
a) Earmarks
The voluntary ban is part of an effort to curb federal spending. Last year’s Congress spent $16 billion on earmarks which accounted for between one and two percent of last year’s $1.3 trillion deficit. It is unclear whether the Democrats will agree to a similar ban.
https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AH3QB20101118
9) This company returned to Wall Street Thursday with an initial public offering (IPO). The IPO came just a year after the company went into bankruptcy and just two years after receiving approximately $50 billion in federal government bailout funds. What company?
c) General Motors
Before the IPO, GM had already paid back approximately $9.5 billion of the bailout funds and the IPO will allow the government to recoup another 11-13 billion. The IPO also allowed the government to reduce its ownership share in GM from about 60% to about 35%. For the government to break even on the bailout, it will need to sell its remaining shares for an average of about $50 a share.
https://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/11/18/business/main7066605.shtml
10) Whose reality show debuted on TLC last week and pulled in 5 million viewers?
a) Sarah Palin
It was the second-highest rated show ever on TLC, trailing only the episode of “Jon and Kate Plus 8” where the couple separated.