Question: Jordan, officially The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is an Arab kingdom in Western Asia, on the East Bank of the Jordan River. Jordan is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the east and south; Iraq to the north-east; Syria to the north; Israel, Palestine and the Dead Sea to the west; and the Red Sea in its extreme south-west. Jordan is strategically located at the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe. The capital, Amman, is Jordan's most populous city as well as the country's economic, political and cultural centre.

What is now Jordan has been inhabited by humans since the Paleolithic period. Three stable kingdoms emerged there at the end of the Bronze Age: Ammon, Moab and Edom. Later rulers include the Nabataean Kingdom, the Roman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire. After the Great Arab Revolt against the Ottomans in 1916 during World War I, the Ottoman Empire was partitioned by Britain and France. The Emirate of Transjordan was established in 1921 by the then Emir Abdullah I and it became a British protectorate. In 1946, Jordan became an independent state officially known as "The Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan". Jordan captured the West Bank during the 1948 ArabIsraeli War, which it later lost in 1967, and the name of the state was changed to "The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan" in 1949. Jordan is a founding member of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation, and is one of two Arab states to have signed a peace treaty with Israel. The country is a constitutional monarchy, but the king holds wide executive and legislative powers. 1. How long have people lived in Jordan?
2. How many kingdoms cropped up at the end of the Bronze Age there?
3. What were they?
4. And?
5. Last one?
6. Who was the Great Arab revolt aimed at?
7. When was that?
8. What did Britain and France do there?
9. When did Jordan take the West Bank?
10. Did Jordan win that?
11. What was it named after that?
12. Was Jordan an original member of the Arab League?
13. What did they sign with Israel?
14. What kind of treaty?
15. What two powers does the king have great control over there?
16. What river is Jordan on?
17. Who borders Jordan to the north?
18. What two seas does it border?
19. And the other?
20. What's the capital city? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers: 1. since the Paleolithic period
2. Three
3. Ammon
4. Moab
5. Edom
6. the Ottomans
7. during World War I
8. partitioned it
9. during the 1948 ArabIsraeli War
10. No
11. "The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan"
12. Yes
13. treaty
14. peace
15. executive and legislative
16. Jordan
17. Syria
18. Dead Sea
19. Red Sea
20. Amman,

Question: Washington (CNN) -- With his budget approved by the House, Paul Ryan is turning his attention to Iowa to headline a high-profile Republican event that will only fuel speculation he's laying the groundwork for a potential presidential run in 2016.

Lawmakers approved the Wisconsin Republican's 2015 spending plan on Thursday. But there were notable conservative defections, making his appearance at Friday's Lincoln Dinner in Cedar Rapids more interesting.

The question that confronts Ryan is whether his budget, dubbed the "path to prosperity," will help pave a path for him to compete in the early contest state in two years. Or will it prove a political liability when Republicans choose their next White House nominee?

Ryan's role as the chief fiscal expert in the GOP is the main reason he was tapped as Mitt Romney's running mate in 2012, and remains his main calling card in a potential national campaign.

Since Republicans took control of the House in 2010, top GOP leaders have deferred to the Budget Committee chairman to construct the party's blueprint to address the growing national debt.

He has shepherded four budgets through the House and brokered a deal with Democrats last fall to avoid another government shutdown and possible default on the nation's credit limit.

Ryan budget details

Some say not aggressive enough

But that resume has not won over some tea party groups who believe Ryan isn't' being aggressive enough about slashing the size of the federal government.

The group of fiscal conservatives in the House introduced an alternative budget that balances the federal budget in four years, instead of the 10 years in Ryan's plan. 1. What did lawmakers approve?
2. What year?
3. What state is he from?
4. What political offilliation is he with?
5. When was this approved?
6. What is he paying attention to now?
7. Why?
8. What do they think he is doing?
9. For what year?
10. What is Ryan's current role?
11. Was he a running mate for someone previously?
12. Who?
13. What year?
14. When did Republicans take over the House?
15. How many budgets has he pushed through?
16. What happened last fall?
17. To do what?
18. And what could have possibly happened?
19. Does everyone think Ryan is aggressive enough at deals?
20. What alternative budget was introduced? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers:
1. Paul Ryan's spending plan
2. 2015
3. Wisconsin
4. Republican'
5. on Thursday
6. Iowa
7. to headline a high-profile Republican event
8. he's laying the groundwork for a potential presidential run
9. 2016.
10. the chief fiscal expert in the GOP
11. Yes
12. Mitt Romney
13. 2012
14. 2010,
15. Four
16. brokered a deal with Democrats
17. to avoid another government shutdown
18. possible default on the nation's credit limit.
19. No
20. One that balances the federal budget in four years