From: gromit82@hotmail.com   
      
   On Tuesday, March 22, 2022 at 11:52:04 PM UTC-5, Mark Brader wrote:   
      
   > ** Game 9, Round 9 - Geography & History - Countries of the World   
   >   
   > Name the countries from the descriptions provided. *Note:* I have   
   > not attempted to update this round from the original game.   
   >   
   > 1. Between 1990 and 1992 it ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist   
   > rule and established a multi-party democracy. The transition has   
   > proven challenging, as successive governments have tried to deal   
   > with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated   
   > physical infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks,   
   > and combative political opponents. It has made progress in   
   > its democratic development since first holding multi-party   
   > elections in 1991. Admitted to NATO in 2009, and formally   
   > applied for EU membership that same year.   
      
   Albania   
      
   > 2. Great Britain formally acquired possession of it in 1814.   
   > It staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars, and   
   > remained in the Commonwealth on becoming independent in 1964.   
   > A decade later it became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s,   
   > it has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point,   
   > a financial center, and a tourist destination. It became an   
   > EU member in May 2004 and adopted the euro in 2008.   
      
   Malta   
      
   > 3. Broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent   
   > history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and   
   > countercoups. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982,   
   > but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty,   
   > social unrest, and illegal drug production. In December 2005,   
   > the people elected Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo Morales   
   > president by the widest margin of any leader since civilian   
   > rule was restored in 1982, after he ran on a promise to change   
   > the country's traditional political class and empower the   
   > nation's poor majority. Morales was re-elected in 2009 by a   
   > wide majority.   
      
   Bolivia   
      
   > 4. Formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish   
   > conquest in 1533. The capital became a seat of Spanish   
   > colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of   
   > New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty   
   > gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a   
   > federation known as Gran Colombia. When it withdrew in 1830,   
   > the traditional name was abandoned in favor of the current name.   
   > Although it marked 30 years of civilian government in 2009,   
   > the period has been marred by political instability, including   
   > a 2010 police revolt sparked by austerity cuts.   
      
   Peru   
      
   > 5. In 1865, Britain and this place signed the Treaty of Sinchulu,   
   > under which it would receive an annual subsidy in exchange   
   > for ceding some border land to British India. Under British   
   > influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; 3 years later, a   
   > treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere   
   > in internal affairs and it allowed Britain to direct its foreign   
   > affairs. In 2007, the country made the transition from absolute   
   > monarchy to constitutional monarchy, holding its first general   
   > election shortly thereafter. Around the same time, King Jigme   
   > Singye Wangchuck abdicated in favor of his son.   
      
   Bhutan   
      
   > 6. In 1951, the monarch ended the century-old system of rule by   
   > hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of   
   > government. Reforms in 1990 established a multi-party democracy   
   > within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist   
   > insurgency, launched in 1996, gained traction and threatened   
   > to bring down the regime. 2008 elections for the constituent   
   > assembly overwhelmingly favored the abdication of the monarch   
   > and the establishment of a federal multi-party representative   
   > democratic republic. The first president was sworn in on July   
   > 23, 2008.   
      
   Nepal   
      
   > 7. This country is still rebuilding itself after a civil war that   
   > went on from its independence in 1975 for 27 years until 2002.   
   > Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when national elections were   
   > held, but the opposition renewed fighting after being beaten   
   > at the polls. Up to 1,500,000 lives may have been lost and   
   > 4,000,000 people displaced in the quarter century of fighting.   
   > Although the first legislative elections in 16 years were held   
   > in 2008, observers reported serious electoral irregularities.   
   > Diamonds and oil make up 60% of the country's economy.   
      
   Angola   
      
   > 8. Formed from the merger of the two British colonies, it   
   > gained independence in 1957. A long series of coups resulted   
   > in the suspension of its third constitution in 1981 and a ban   
   > on political parties. A new constitution, restoring multi-party   
   > politics, was approved in 1992. John Kufuor, who defeated former   
   > Vice President John Atta-Mills in a free and fair election,   
   > became president in 2000. Atta-Mills regained the presidency   
   > in 2009, securing the country's status as a stable democracy.   
   > The country is one of the world's top producers of gold and   
   > cocoa.   
      
   Ghana   
      
   > 9. Its roots are in the ancient kingdom of Lan Xang, established in   
   > the 14th Century under King Fa Ngum. After centuries of gradual   
   > decline, it came under the control of a neighbor from the late   
   > 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part   
   > of French Indochina. In 1975, the local Communist Party took   
   > control of the government, ending a 6-century-old monarchy and   
   > instituting a strict socialist regime. A gradual return to   
   > private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment   
   > laws began in 1986. It became a member of ASEAN in 1997.   
      
   Laos   
      
   > 10. A unified kingdom was established in the mid-14th century.   
   > It is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken   
   > over by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932   
   > led to a constitutional monarchy. It was in alliance with   
   > Japan during World War II, but became a US ally afterwards.   
   > It is currently facing separatist violence in its southern   
   > ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces, and is just emerging back as a   
   > democracy after a 2006 coup.   
      
   Thailand   
      
   > ** Game 9, Round 10 - Challenge Round   
   >   
   > * A. Canadian Lakes   
   >   
   > "Largest" refers to area.   
   >   
   > A1. Name the Canadian lake which is the deepest lake in North   
   > America and about the 9th-largest in the world (depending   
   > on how you count).   
      
   Great Slave Lake   
      
   > * B. Noble Gases   
   >   
   > B1. Helium is the lightest of the noble gases. Name the next   
   > lightest, whose atomic number is 10.   
      
   xenon; krypton (?)   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)