“What in the World? Weekly Quiz” | August 28, 2023

Contribute Now

CLICK IMAGE FOR QUIZ

Last Week’s Quiz Winners

Don Moore, Mount Juliet, TN
Tim Stewart, Nashville, TN
Steve Freidberg, Boston, MA
Charles Bowers, Nashville, TN
Bernie Drake, Peoria, Il
Peter Barclay, Peoria, Il
Paul Love, Marlboro, VT
Cathy Dopp, Grand Rapids, MI
Christine Laemmar, Brookfield, WI
Jim Shepherd, Nashville, TN
Herb Marsh, Jr., Lincoln, NM
Thomas Day, Peoria, IL
Pratik Yedla, Huntsville, AL
Thomas Day, Peoria, Il
Tim Douglas, Nashville, TN
Basil G. Smith, Jacksonville, FL
Murphy Wilkinson, Streator, IL
Adam Leff, Bethel, ME
Patricia Miletich, Ventura, CA
Himanshu Manchanda, Nashville, TN
Elmedina Brkic, Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Hannah Osborne, Chapel Hill, TN
Seth Osborne, Chapel Hill, TN
Silas McClung, Sewanee, TN
Ari, Kenya
Steve Jackson, Highland Heights, KY

Join Now

Looking for a few good books? Check out Foreign Affairs bookshelf. [Link]

 

AUGUST QUIZ PRIZE

The Yellow Pad: Making Better Decisions in an Uncertain World

Robert E. Rubin

Robert Rubin, former secretary of the Treasury and co-chairman of Goldman Sachs, shares thoughts on decision-making developed over more than six decades in markets, business, government, and politics, and offers readers an astute and original guide for navigating uncertain times

In 1958, as a college sophomore, Robert Rubin took a class that changed his life. The class was introduction to philosophy, and the professor, Raphael Demos, instilled in his students an idea that was simple yet profound: There is no such thing as certainty. For Rubin, this led to a critically important question: How can we make sound decisions in a fundamentally uncertain world?

While serving in some of the most significant roles in markets, business, and government, Rubin has grappled with that question. Time and again, when faced with a high-stakes decision, he turned to his most trusted tool: a simple yellow legal pad. Rubin’s yellow pad (or more recently, his iPad) became an expression of a larger decision-making philosophy that has both lasted and shaped a lifetime. In The Yellow Pad, Rubin lays out that philosophy with depth and detail, and presents a compelling intellectual framework for confronting some of the most difficult issues we face today.

The Yellow Pad contains a former Treasury secretary’s approach to economic policymaking. A former Goldman Sachs senior partner’s approach to personal investing and understanding risk. A former director of the National Economic Council’s approach to managing people in both private- and public-sector organizations. And much more. Yet despite his lifetime of experiences, Rubin remains refreshingly open-minded, interested in exploring ideas rather than promoting ideologies. With its combination of wisdom and relevance, The Yellow Padis an essential guide for anyone looking to make better decisions in life, work, and public policy.

---

1. President Biden hosted the first standalone summit, apart from multilateral meeting sideline events, with Japan’s and South Korea’s leaders at THIS venue. The three signed several agreements focused on responding to mutual threats as regional tensions with China and North Korea are on the rise.

A. Sunnylands, CA
B. Camp David, MD
C. Greenbrier, WV
D. Hickam AFB, HI

Correct Response: B. Camp David, MD
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-meets-leaders-japan-south-korea-camp-david-rcna100674

2. The U.S. declared THIS group defeated in 2017 in Syria and Iraq after a multinational campaign. The UN now reports fighters in the region are making a comeback with the organization’s Afghanistan offshoot growing to include about 6,000 fighters.

A. Al Qaeda
B. Hizbollah
C. ISIS
D. Taliban

Correct Response: C. ISIS
https://www.gzeromedia.com/the-islamic-states-rise-in-afghanistan

3. After the U.S. authorized release of THIS weapon to Ukraine, the Netherlands and Denmark announced they would transfer them from their inventory.

A. Abrams Tanks
B. Harpoon anti-ship missiles
C. F-16 Fighting Falcon jets
D. Improved long-range ATACMS

Correct Response: C. F-16 Fighting Falcon jets
https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-zelenskyy-netherlands-f16-9252de3ad10357a41212262c560874aa

4. A summit of THIS five-nation grouping of large developing nations will be held in Johannesburg this week. China’s President Xi Jinping will attend; indicted war criminal Russian President Putin will attend virtually. The group produces 25% of global economic activity and boasts 40% of the world’s population.

A. NATO
B. Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
C. BRICS
D. WTO

Correct Response: C. BRICS
https://www.gzeromedia.com/viewpoint-brics-countries-seek-to-expand-global-influence

5. Almost half a century after its last lunar exploration mission THIS country’s bid to land a craft, Luna 25, at the moon’s south pole ended in a crash landing.

A. India
B. China
C. Brazil
D. Russia

Correct Response: D. Russia
https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/20/world/luna-25-spacecraft-moon-collision-intl/index.html

6. The State Department announced visa restriction sanctions on 100 officials who supported President Daniel Ortega’s campaign to restrict human rights and undermine democracy in THIS Central American nation.

A. Guatemala
B. Paraguay
C. Costa Rica
D. Nicaragua

Correct Response: D. Nicaragua
https://apnews.com/article/nicaragua-sanctions-nicaraguan-officials-visas-7cbabf27fd31ba2e981d72b65f1c1459

7. Sweden raised its terrorism threat level to the second-highest mark following THIS string of public desecrations by a handful of anti-Islam activists, sparking outrage across Muslim countries. Sweden’s request to join NATO was held up by Turkey over similar issues.

A. LGBTQ hate speech
B. Mosque disruption
C. Quran burning
D. Terrorizing Arab shops

Correct Response: C. Quran burning
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/sweden-raises-terror-threat-level-2nd-highest-recent-102337854

8. The official unemployment rate has risen to 33% in THIS African country, a member of the BRICS, the highest in the world. Last month, a United Nations report delivered to Deputy President Paul Mashatile described the situation as a “ticking time bomb.”

A. Congo
B. Rwanda
C. South Africa
D. Botswana

Correct Response: C. South Africa
https://apnews.com/article/south-africa-unemployment-jobs-economy-un-ab41fc68f3641819cd0d5557e63b17a6

9. China launched a new round of military exercises aimed at intimidating Taiwan after THIS diplomatic development.

A. Taiwan vice president stopover in the U.S.
B. Success of Taiwanese independence minded political party
C. Visit of U.S. aircraft carrier group to Taiwan
D. Tokyo-Taipei summit

Correct Response: A. Taiwan vice president stopover in the U.S.
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/13/china-condemns-visit-of-troublemaker-taiwan-vice-president-to-us.html

10. The financial troubles of THIS G-7 nation brought new woes to global stock markets as investors were concerned over real estate and debt problems and continued impact on growth forecasts. Observers worry the struggling economy and popular pushback may cause leadership to become increasingly aggressive abroad as distractions.

A. Canada
B. China
C. India
D. Malaysia

Correct Response: B. China
https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/08/16/how-bad-could-chinas-property-crisis-get

Copyright 2015-2023 Tennessee World Affairs Council