Identify who, what, where, when, and/or why the following are important:
1. global war on terror
2. "coalition of the willing"
3. waterboarding
4. "wedge" issues
5. "standards based educational reform"
6. initial public offering (IPO)
7. toxic assets
8. Bernard Madoff
9. Sarah Palin
10. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Global War

A conflict involving major parts of the world; often involves multiple countries across different continents.

Waterboarding

A form of torture in which water is poured over a cloth covering the face and breathing passages of an immobilized captive, causing the individual to experience the sensation of drowning.

Toxic Assets

Financial assets whose value has fallen significantly and for which there is no longer a functioning market, making them difficult to sell without incurring a loss.