Sen. Ted Cruz slammed the White House on Tuesday for a "failure of leadership" as President Barack Obama prepares to nominate his administration's fourth defense secretary.

The Texas Republican, who is considering a 2016 run in hopes of heading his own White House administration, called the unusually high turnover at the helm of the Defense Department emblematic of a White House that puts politics above U.S. national security.

"It seems what the administration is looking for is a defense secretary who will follow the orders of a political White House rather than focus on defending the national security interests of this country," Cruz said. "At a time when the threats are this grave, we shouldn't see turnover at the Defense Department than one has at a typical Burger King."

Cruz said he did not know Ashton Carter, the former No. 2 man at the Pentagon who is expected to be Obama's nominee to succeed Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, but Cruz said he looks forward to learning more about Carter and his "good reputation."

But Cruz emphasized he was unsettled to see several potential picks pull their names out of the running to head the department, including former Pentagon official Michele Flournoy and Sen. Jack Reed.

"It says something that so many people are saying, 'No, thank you, I don't want to serve in an administration that overrides the Defense Department, that treats the defense secretary as subservient to political lackeys in the White House," Cruz said.

Cruz made the remarks Tuesday at an event cosponsored by Concerned Veterans of America and the conservative publication The Weekly Standard during which he bore out his hawkish foreign policy and staked out positions starkly in contrast to Obama. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Who thought there was a failure at the White House?
2. What position does he hold?
3. For what state?
4. What party?
5. When did Cruz make the comment?
6. Did he think the defense department was doing a good job?
7. What kind of establishment did he compare them to?
8. What event did he say these things at?
9. Who had decided not to run as the head of the department?
10. What did she do?
11. Does she still work there?
12. Who else had pulled out?
13. Who is he?
Answer: 1. Ted Cruz
2. Senator
3. Texas
4. Republican
5. On Tuesday
6. No
7. Burger KIng
8. An event cosponsored by Concerned Veterans of America and The Weekly Standard
9. Michele Fluornoy
10. She was a Pentagon official
11. No
12. Jack Reed
13. A senator

Problem: Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2013, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.

Florence was a centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of that era. It is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, and has been called "the Athens of the Middle Ages". A turbulent political history includes periods of rule by the powerful Medici family and numerous religious and republican revolutions. From 1865 to 1871 the city was the capital of the recently established Kingdom of Italy. The Florentine dialect forms the base of Standard Italian and it became the language of culture throughout Italy due to the prestige of the masterpieces by Dante Alighieri, Petrarch, Giovanni Boccaccio, Niccolo Machiavelli and Francesco Guicciardini.

The city attracts millions of tourists each year, and the Historic Centre of Florence was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. The city is noted for its culture, Renaissance art and architecture and monuments. The city also contains numerous museums and art galleries, such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Palazzo Pitti, and still exerts an influence in the fields of art, culture and politics. Due to Florence's artistic and architectural heritage, it has been ranked by "Forbes" as one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
1. What is the capital of Tuscany?
2. Is it also Tuscany's most populous city?
3. With how many residents in 2013?
4. How many in its surrounding metropolis?
5. It was considered the birthplace of what?
6. What nickname has it been coined?
7. Was it historically a poor city?
8. Which powerful family once ruled the area?
9. What area was declared a World Heritage Site?
10. When?
11. What language does the area speak?
12. Why did this become the default language?
13. What does the city still influence to this day?
14. What did "Forbes" rank it as?
15. Due to what?
16. What famous galleries are located there?
17. How many tourists visit the area yearly?
Answer: 1. Florence
2. yes
3. 383,083
4. over 1,520,000
5. birthplace of the Renaissance
6. "the Athens of the Middle Ages"
7. no
8. the Medici family
9. Historic Centre of Florence
10. in 1982
11. Standard Italian
12. due to the prestige of the masterpieces by Dante Alighieri, Petrarch, Giovanni Boccaccio, Niccolo Machiavelli and Francesco Guicciardini.
13. The city is noted for its culture
14. one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
15. Due to Florence's artistic and architectural heritage
16. the Uffizi Gallery and the Palazzo Pitti,
17. millions

question: (CNN) -- Condolences continued to pour in late Sunday night following the death of heavy metal rocker Ronnie James Dio, who lost his battle with stomach cancer earlier in the day.

"Today my heart is broken, Ronnie passed away at 7:45 a.m. 16th May," his wife, Wendy Dio, said in a message on his official website.

Dio, 67, followed Ozzy Osbourne as Black Sabbath's lead vocalist in 1979.

"Many, many friends and family were able to say their private goodbyes before he peacefully passed away," she wrote. "Ronnie knew how much he was loved by all."

The rock community paid tribute to Dio in messages late Sunday.

"In addition to his powerhouse vocal ability, Ronnie was a true gentleman who always emanated great warmth and friendship to us and everyone around him," KISS said. "We will miss him."

Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian called Dio's death a big loss.

"So many memories of Ronnie. Toured together many times. He always had a kind word and a smile, and he loved the Yankees," Ian said.

Musician Slash summed up the loss in one sentence: "Ronnie died at 7:45 a.m., but his music will live for eternity."

Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx, who became friends with Dio while touring Europe, said the rocker will be missed.

"I still have this image of him standing on stage in front of 100,000 belting out 'Man on the Silver Mountain' and remember the shivers it sent up my spine," Sixx said.

He called Dio "one of the kindest souls I have ever met and his talent was beyond inspirational to so many of us."
1. Who died?
2. How?
3. Who made the statement?
4. Who did he tour with?
5. Who else?
6. Name someone who considered themselves a friend?
7. What will become of his music legacy?
8. Who did he love?
9. According to who?
10. When did he die?
****
answer:
1. Ronnie James Dio
2. stomach cancer
3. Wendy Dio
4. Black Sabbath
5. KISS
6. Nikki Sixx
7. his music will live for eternity
8. Yankees
9. Scott Ian
10. 16th May