Q: International Futures (IFs) is a global integrated assessment model designed to help in thinking strategically and systematically about key global systems (economic, demographic, education, health, environment, technology, domestic governance, infrastructure, agriculture, energy and environment) housed at the Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures. Initially created by Barry B. Hughes of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver in Colorado, the model is free for public use in both its online and downloadable forms.

The Pardee Center for International Futures has partnered with many organizations to produce forecasts and data analysis. IFs has been utilized in the National Intelligence Council's "Global Trends 2020", "Global Trends 2025", and "Global Trends 2030" report. The International Futures model has also contributed to the United Nations "Human Development Report" and the "Global Environmental Outlook".

IFs is hosted free for public use by Google Public Data Explorer, the Atlantic Council, and the Institute for Security Studies.

The model incorporates dynamically linked sub-models. They include: population, economic, agricultural, educational, energy, socio-political, international political, environmental, health, infrastructure and technology. IFs is a unique modeling tool because it endogenizes the impact of such a wide range of global systems for 183 countries.

The help system that accompanies the software provides an extensive overview of the model structure and computer code used to write the model. IFs has three main functions, all connected to its conceptual treatment of integrated assessment forecasts: data analysis, scenario analysis, and display.

1. International Futures
2. Barry B. Hughes
3. Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures
4. Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver
5. Colorado
6. produce forecasts and data analysis
7. United Nations "Human Development Report"
8. "Global Environmental Outlook".
9. Google
10. the Atlantic Council
11. Institute for Security Studies.
12. population, economic, agricultural
13. educational, energy, socio-political, international political, environmental, health, infrastructure and technology.
14. data analysis
15. scenario analysis
16. display

Numbered questions:
1. What does IFs stand for?
2. Who was it created by?
3. Where is it located?
4. Where did the creator study at?
5. What state is that in?
6. What does it do?
7. What has this research helped with?
8. What else?
9. What companies host for free?
10. Who else?
11. And?
12. What are some sub sections of the models?
13. And?
14. What is a main function of the IFs?
15. Second one?
16. And the last one?

Q: (Mental Floss) -- It's hard to walk down the aisle of a liquor store without running across a bottle bearing someone's name.

A costumed reveler at a Captain Morgan party celebrates the rum named after the 17th century privateer.

We put them in our cocktails, but how well do we know them?

Here's some biographical detail on the men behind your favorite tipples:

1. Captain Morgan

The Captain wasn't always just the choice of sorority girls looking to blend spiced rum with Diet Coke; in the 17th century he was a feared privateer.

Not only did the Welsh pirate marry his own cousin, he ran risky missions for the governor of Jamaica, including capturing some Spanish prisoners in Cuba and sacking Port-au-Prince in Haiti.

He then plundered the Cuban coast before holding for ransom the entire city of Portobelo, Panama.

He later looted and burned Panama City, but his pillaging career came to an end when Spain and England signed a peace treaty in 1671.

Instead of getting in trouble for his high-seas antics, Morgan received knighthood and became the lieutenant governor of Jamaica. Mental Floss: 5 drinking stories that put yours to shame

2. Johnnie Walker

Walker, the name behind the world's most popular brand of Scotch whisky, was born in 1805 in Ayrshire, Scotland.

When his father died in 1819, Johnnie inherited a trust of a little over 400 pounds, which the trustees invested in a grocery store.

Walker became a very successful grocer in the town of Kilmarnock and even sold a whisky, Walker's Kilmarnock Whisky.

1. Ayrshire
2. Scotland
3. whisky
4. No
5. Scotch
6. No
7. liquor store
8. a little over 400 pounds
9. a grocery store
10. Kilmarnock
11. Jamaica
12. 17th century
13. privateer
14. his own cousin
15. the governor
16. Jamaica
17. he ran risky missions
18. Port-au-Prince
19. in Haiti
20. Portobelo
21. Panama

Numbered questions:
1. Where was Johnnie Walker born?
2. where's that?
3. what;s his name on?
4. Irish?
5. What type?
6. is it only sold in Scotland?
7. where is it sold?
8. how much did Johnnie inherit?
9. what was it invested in?
10. in what town?
11. where is captain morgan from?
12. which century was he active?
13. he was a feared what?
14. who did he marry?
15. who did he work for?
16. of which island?
17. what sorts of jobs did he do?
18. where did he sack?
19. where's that?
20. which city did he ransom?
21. in?

Q: (CNN) -- Lewis Hamilton endured a nightmare start to testing his new Mercedes after driving straight off the track at Jerez on his first day following a hydraulic problem Wednesday.

The 2008 world champion, who left McLaren at the end of last season, was on his 15th lap of timed testing when his car went off the track and hit a barrier of tires.

Hamilton's accident, which prevented him from returning to action, follows teammate Nico Rosberg's disastrous run which was ended by a minor fire Tuesday.

Webber vows to battle Vettel for F1 title

The German's car was found to have been suffering with electrical problems, while Mercedes took to Twitter to give an update on Hamilton's setback.

"Lewis suffered a loss of rear brake pressure, the front brakes enabled him to slow the car but he couldn't avoid the barrier," said Mercedes on Twitter.

"Obvious damage to the front wing and nose; we're checking the car over now. Lewis himself is fine.

"Update from Jerez, we have traced the problem to the hydraulic brake line connecting to the right-rear caliper."

Hamilton is expected to return to the track on Friday following the collision, which saw the car career on straight for some 70 meters at 280 kilometers per hour.

Ferrari ready for Red Bull fight

Meanwhile, Russian team Marussia has replaced Timo Glock with Brazil's Luis Razia as its second driver for the 2013 season.

The 23-year-old, who finished as runner-up in last season's GP2 series, will partner fellow rookie Max Chilton when the campaign starts in Australia on March 17.

1. auto races
2. (CNN)
3. Lewis
4. suffered a loss of rear brake pressure
5. the front
6. Lewis Hamilton
7. Mercedes
8. the carwent off the track and hit a barrier of tires
9. no
10. Twitter

Numbered questions:
1. What is the article about?
2. Who published this story?
3. Who had a brake problem?
4. What happened?
5. to which axle?
6. Who won in 2008?
7. What car does he drive?
8. What happened?
9. Could he rejion the race?
10. what social media platform did he use?