Question:
After their ouster from the coastal ports of China, Japanese and Portuguese traders collaborated with illegal smugglers on island ports along the Zhejiang and Fujian coast. Among these ports, Shuangyu on Liuheng Island  off the coast of Ningbo emerged as the primary emporium of clandestine trade. At first, Shuangyu only had temporary mat-sheds for the smugglers to house themselves and their goods during the trading season. In 1539, Fujianese traders started to guide foreign traders from Patani and Malacca to barter in Shuangyu and started to occupy the island. They were soon joined by the Fujianese merchants Jinzi Lao  and Li Guangtou , who led the Portuguese and assorted adventurers to Shuangyu. Attracted by the growing trade on the Zhejiang coast, the Xu brothers' syndicate moved their base of operations from the Malay Peninsula to Shuangyu. The existing clout of the Xu syndicate and its close partnership with the Portuguese made it the foremost smuggling bloc by 1542 after a series of mergers among the merchant-pirates in Shuangyu. The Ming navy began to clamp down on smuggling activities in 1543, but the Xu syndicate was able to repulse the Ming attacks in Shuangyu with the aid of Portuguese firepower. Hardened by their victories against the Ming navy, the smugglers expanded their network of activities down the coast of China all the way to Guangdong and inland to the metropolis of Nanjing, with Shuangyu being their hub. In 1544, this network was further expanded when Wang Zhi joined the Xu syndicate, bringing along his Japanese connections to Shuangyu. Thus Shuangyu reached its zenith as the biggest entrepôt in maritime East Asia trading goods from Europe and Asia until its downfall in 1548.

Who formed the foremost smuggling bloc by 1542?

Answer:
the Xu syndicate


Question:
Coming off a big Thanksgiving Day win over the rival Cowboys, the Redskins returned home for a Monday Night Football duel against the NFC East-leading New York Giants, who beat them in Week 7 27-23. The team came in highly motivated: in the week leading up to the game, team officials posted signs on Redskin Park walls implying that NFL referees were biased in favor of the Giants and quoting Giants owner John Mara, in his role as head of the league's Management Council, claiming that the $36 million salary cap penalty the council imposed on the Redskins (and a smaller one for the Cowboys) for violating unwritten rules in structuring contracts for the uncapped 2010 season - many within the Redskins organization (and around the league), noting that both teams punished were in the Giants' division, believed Mara had used his NFL position for his own team's interests by weakening their rivals - was, if anything, too light, and they should have lost draft picks as well; the latter was regarded as particularly malicious, as, it would have likely nullified the trade which allowed the Redskins to draft Robert Griffin III. (The animosity ran so deep that, after the game, owner Daniel Snyder was overheard telling a team employee that "I hate those motherfuckers".) The first quarter began with a Washington punt. The Giants then possessed the ball, but could not get to the endzone, settling for a Lawrence Tynes 39-yard field goal to give the Giants a 3-0 edge. On Washington's ensuing possession, the Redskins moved the ball quickly, and quarterback Robert Griffin III scrambled for a first down, but fumbled. Fortunately, however, for Washington, it bounced into the waiting arms of wide receiver Josh Morgan, and Washington took a 7-3 lead, as Morgan took it 13 yards into the endzone. The second quarter was dominated by the Giants. However, the Giants, despite long, clock-chewing drives, had a missed field goal by Tynes, and Washington then took over. Washington could not capitalize, and they gave the ball back to the Giants. The Giants then again marched down the field on Washington's much-maligned secondary, and 2-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning found tight end Martellus Bennett for a 4-yard score to retake the lead at 10-7. Washington ran an efficient two-minute drill, however, and evened the game on a Kai Forbath 33-yard field goal to even the score, appearing to send the game to the locker rooms tied. However, the Redskins porous secondary again got picked on, as Manning led a drive into field goal range, and Tynes connected from 40 yards out, and the Giants sent the game to halftime 13-10. In the third, the Giants punted, and Washington ran a methodical drive, running the ball with efficiency. However, after amassing a first down, Alfred Morris fumbled, and the Giants recovered inside their own 20. The Giants again ran a strong drive down the field, but it stalled, and the Giants settled for another Tynes field goal, this time from 35 yards out, and the Giants took a 16-10 lead into the fourth. In the fourth, Washington drove down the field, with Griffin connecting with Pierre Gar&#231;on for an 8-yard score and a 17-16 lead with 11:31 left in the game. The Giants got the ball back, but failed to score. Washington then got it back, but could not run out the clock. New York received it again, and with just under four minutes remaining, called on Steve Weatherford to punt it back to Washington. Weatherford attempted to draw a roughing the kicker penalty on Redskins linebacker Bryan Kehl, but only running into the kicker was called, and Washington got the ball back. Upon receiving possession of the ball, Griffin and Morris saw to it that the Giants would not possess the ball again, as they drove down the field, and ran out the clock, sealing the 1-point win. With the win, Washington improved to 6-6, 3-1 in the NFC East, and one game behind the Giants who now sat at 7-5. Additionally, the third straight win is Washington's longest winning streak in a season since they won 4 straight in Weeks 2-5 of the 2008 season.

How many field goals were scored in the first half?

Answer:
3


Question:
At the 2000 United States Census, 1,953,631 people inhabited the city, and the population density was 3,371.7 people per square mile (1,301.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city in 2000 was 49.3% White, 25.3% African American, 6.3% Asian, 0.7% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 16.5% from some other race, and 3.1% from two or more races. In addition, Hispanics made up 37.4% of Houstons population in 2000, while non-Hispanic Whites made up 30.8%. The proportion of non-Hispanic whites in Houston has decreased significantly since 1970, when it was 62.4%.

Which two racial groups made up the largest percentages of the population?

Answer:
White


Question:
For the fourth time in as many trips to the western United States, the Jets lost to the woeful Seahawks in Mike Holmgren's final home game as  the team's head coach. The loss dropped the Jets to 9-6 and out of first place in the AFC East. Jay Feely put the Jets on the board with a field goal eight minutes into the game and the lead held for most of the remainder of the first half. Seattle scored with thirty one seconds remaining in the half on a Seneca Wallace touchdown pass. Olindo Mare kicked two field goals in the second half, including one with 1:47 remaining to clinch victory for Seattle. Brett Favre was held without a touchdown pass for the Jets and threw two interceptions, and Thomas Jones was held to 67 yards. For the Seahawks Maurice Morris rushed for 116 yards on 29 carries and Wallace finished with 175 yards passing and his second-quarter touchdown.

How many yards did Maurice Morris average per rush?

Answer:
4