Who had the worse week, Chris Christie or Dennis Rodman? Take our Week to Week news quiz and see how much you know about the week's ups and downs.
Here are some random, but real, hints: Boston could ship us some snow; hope it doesn't collide with the barge; Obama clearly didn't copyedit the book closely enough; and it was a diplomatic slam dunk. Answers are at the bottom of the quiz.
1. What have communities across California begun to do?
a. Implement water restrictions in response to the drought
b. Impose luxury taxes on traditional gas-powered vehicles
c. Ban the sale of all lightbulbs
d. Build landing pads for Virgin Galactic spaceships
2. What company said the personal information of up to 70 million people was stolen from its systems?
a. Apple
b. Target
c. CNN
d. American Express
3. What is Google's newest way to transport its employees from San Francisco to its Mountain View headquarters?
a. Rickshaws
b. Private SUVs
c. Helicopters
d. A catamaran ferry
4. In his new book about his time as U.S. secretary of defense, what did Robert Gates write about President Obama?
a. Obama told Gates that he could have his job back at any time
b. The president exhibited a "nearly superhuman" understanding of the nuances of defense policy that make him "the leading defense philosopher of our age"
c. Obama tried to micromanage every detail about defense and security policy
d. Obama never spoke directly to Gates unless a news camera was in the room
5. Why is a September 2012 partial closing of a bridge causing headaches for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie?
a. The bridge had just been renamed the Ronald Reagan Memorial Bridge, but the problems have resulted in a backlash from conservatives Christie had been hoping to court for a presidential run
b. The closing caused a five-mile backup that included Christie's gubernatorial motorcade, during which he got into a fight with a family in a camper nearby, who YouTubed the whole thing
c. Christie had just declared the bridge an official state monument
d. His top aids have been connected to the controversy, with one of them having emailed a bridge official before the closing, "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee."
6. John McCain called him an "idiot." Anderson Cooper said he's "deeply stupid." Who is he?
a. David Cameron
b. Rush Limbaugh
c. Joe Biden
d. Dennis Rodman
7. This week marked the 50th anniversary of what?
a. The first man in space
b. President Johnson's War on Poverty
c. The premiere of The Brady Bunch
d. The Voting Rights Act
8. Which of the following was not a snarky tweet following Chris Christie's press conference regarding the bridge scandal?
a. "Let's close that bridge when we come to it"
b. "He probably had something to do with London's bridge falling down, too."
c. "'My staff is out of control and lies to me about what they're up to' is a less-than-ideal talking point"
d. "Christie would like you to consider this scandal in the context of him being the greatest Governor and person of all time."
9. What heatwave-related event happened in Australia?
a. 100,000 bats dropped dead
b. The country's leading air conditioner manufacturer briefly had Australia's largest market capitalization
c. Prime Minister Tony Abbott fainted during an outdoor press conference
d. Schools have remained closed for nearly two weeks because of the stifling heat
10. What did Dennis Rodman blame for comments he had made criticizing an American held prisoner in North Korea?
a. He was drunk when he made the comments
b. He was paid to make the comments
c. He wishes he, too, could be held prisoner in North Korea
d. Mental illness
BONUS. France's broadcasters are not allowed to air what until after 10 p.m.?
a. Anything with English-language dialogue
b. Commercials for non-French wines
c. Miley Cyrus and Britney Spears music videos
d. World War II images and video
The news and the quizzes don't stop there! Join us Monday, January 13 in San Francisco for our next live Week to Week political roundtable with a news quiz and a social hour at The Commonwealth Club. Panelists include Melissa Griffin Caen, Josh Richman and Joe Garofoli.
ANSWERS: 1) a. 2) b. 3) d. 4) c. 5) d. 6) d. 7) b. 8) b. 9) a. 10) a. BONUS) c.
Explanations of the hints Boston could ship us some snow: California is experiencing a drought while much of the rest of the country labors under heavy snowfall; hope it doesn't collide with the barge: the catamaran will have to share the bay with the famous Google barge; Obama clearly didn't copyedit the book closely enough: for a micromanager, he seems to let his ex-aides write what they want; and it was a diplomatic slam dunk: Rodman made the comments regarding controversy surrounding his latest visit to North Korea.